Western Downs charity Dalby’s Helping Hands hit by thieves for second time in a month

A Western Downs charity has been left frustrated after thieves broke into their charity bins and stole donated goods. Find out more here.

Dalby’s Helping Hands have been left dismayed after being targeted by thieves for the second time in a matter of months.

A Western Downs charity has been the target of thieves for the second time in under a month, with volunteers left dismayed.

Dalby’s Helping Hands said in the early hours of the morning last week a thief had driven up and rifled through their bins full of goods which were to be donated to those in need.

“They broke into the bin, they pulled the pins at the back of the bin, took some of the donations and left a hell of a mess,” Helping Hands Outreach Project Dalby’s branch manager Lizzie Harvey said.

“We aren't sure exactly what they’ve taken because it was dark but this has happened multiple times and we are just over it.

“I get frustrated, especially with the time and effort that the volunteers have to go to to clean it all up, it would be good if they could at least clean up after themselves if they wanted something from the bin.

“We have now put extra locks on the bin and filed a police report.”

Ms Harvey said they weren't the only ones being targeted.

“In the year I’ve been here this has happened five times, it's not rare,” she said.

“I spoke to a lady at Lifeline and she says they have just decided to leave the bins open and at least if people do go through them they won't destroy them and hopefully they at least put some things back.

“I was also just speaking to the fella who fixed the back of our bin and he says Vinnies cop it a lot as well so it seems to be happening to a lot of charities.”

The devastating blow comes amid a record demand for services with Ms Harvey saying in her ten years as part of the organisation she had never seen a higher demand for support.

“We do emergency food boxes for free and that comes out of donations from the community and we just don’t have enough to support them,” she said.

“We are providing 20 emergency food hampers a week in Dalby alone and Circles of Care are providing 180 hampers every Thursday.

“The need for support is increasing daily with the rental crisis and across the board everything has got more expensive.

“I really believe it is the worst it’s ever been. I have been with the organisation for 10 years and we have seen a major increase, we help everyone including pensions and they are suffering greatly, their food money is going to rent now, there are also a lot more homeless now.

“It’s not just one group of people we are seeing its diverse groups of people across the board.”

Ms Harvey said that if people needed help they contact the store rather than stealing and destroying property.

“If people are in desperate need they just need to contact us at Helping Hands, there is also other charities there is Family Support, Lifeline, Vinnies and WDOP,” she said.

“There’s a lot of support out there I think the people going through the bins are opportunistic, its greed not need.”