PINEVILLE, N.C. — Members of Pineville Boy Scout Troop 502 are working to raise money after their gear and trailer were stolen from the church where they meet up.
The trailer, which was stolen earlier this month, was later found damaged beyond repair.
The troop’s assistant scout master, Daniel Fisher, told Channel 9′s Eli Brand he could tell the thieves ripped the lock right out of the door.
Now recovered and back in the spot it was stolen from in Pineville, the troop′s trailer has been left completely empty. About $16,000 worth of items was taken.
“We had portable kitchens, all of the pots and pans and the cook stoves, our propane tanks. All of the tents and canopies. All of the things we need for a camping trip was completely taken,” Fisher said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the troop replace those items. As of Friday, the troop was about halfway to their $10,000 fundraising goal.
According to the Pineville Police Department, the trailer was found in Lancaster County, South Carolina.
A person of interest in the theft was already in the custody of the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office for a different crime and has been charged with grand larceny there.
Pineville police have traveled across the border to interview that suspect, and warrants are pending for his arrest in Mecklenburg County.
Fisher said even though the trailer was found, none of its contents were recovered, and it’s making it much more difficult to accommodate the over two dozen kids that are part of the troop.
“It just really hampers our ability to deliver that quality of program to the youth,” Fisher said, adding that the end goal is to replace everything lost and continue to provide help for the children they serve.
“This really helps them to grow and mature into responsible adults,” Fisher said.
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