Community Food Basket deals with ongoing theft; executive director asks for help

IDAHO FALLS — Since a local nonprofit was burglarized in March, there have been ongoing issues with theft on the property and now the executive director is asking for help.

The Community Food Basket-Idaho Falls, located at 351 West 14th Street, was first burglarized in March, shortly after the nonprofit acquired its new building. A tire jack was thrown through a window of the nonprofit’s new emergency food distribution building and a lot of items were stolen.

EastIdahoNews.com reached out to the Idaho Falls Police for any updates on the case, and we are still waiting to hear back. Click here to read the previous story.

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“Then once we started moving in, we came in one day and someone had dug up all the flowers around the entrances. Then, we came in a couple of weeks later and all the handles were missing off of the hose spigots,” Community Food Basket Executive Director Ariel Jackson told EastIdahoNews.com on Wednesday.

The outdoor thefts have been happening within the last six months.

Jackson said all of the hoses to wash down the nonprofit’s dock were taken and the chain used to block off the truck dock has been taken twice. Then, on Wednesday, Jackson said they discovered all of the posts that were purchased to hold signage and anchor the chain across the dock were gone. It has been frustrating. Jackson said she was planning to report what has happened in the last six months to local police.

On Facebook, the nonprofit posted about what had been happening in regards to the thefts of outdoor items.

“About a month ago, we started talking about needing to put cameras outside because things just kept walking away and today (Wednesday) when I went in and all of our signposts were missing, I thought, ‘This is the day. This is the day we are doing it,'” Jackson said.

She said there are indoor cameras after what had happened in March, but there are no outdoor cameras.

“We had received a bid from the company that put the indoor cameras in, for some cameras outside that will record and also kind of flash lights when people are near the building,” Jackson said.

Jackson is hoping to get at least four outdoor cameras installed, however, she is asking for help because it will cost money.

“We are looking to raise $3,000. That covers the cameras, all of the installation, all of the conduit work and it will incorporate those cameras into our security system,” she said. “This community always steps up and helps us when we need it and we are confident we will get there.”

Because of the thefts and what happened months ago, it has cost at least $5,000 just to replace items.

“Every time something walks away, we have to buy something to replace it and then that’s money we take away from the services that we provide,” she said.

Jackson is unsure who is a part of the outdoor thefts but believes it’s possible it could be kids who are bored.

“In my mind, I want to say that it’s not malicious,” she said.

She has a message for those taking the outdoor items from the Community Food Basket.

“If you are in need to something, come and ask us. If we can’t provide it, we’ll find someone that can and it might not seem like a big deal to the people that are doing it but every time something like this happens, we incur a cost,” Jackson said.

If you are interested in helping with the immediate need for security cameras, click here to go onto the website. Click on the “donate now” button. In the comments, tell the Community Food Basket that you are donating for the outdoor cameras.