Thieves broke into a care provider’s service in Stonehaven just before the Easter weekend and stole a big bag of chocolate eggs meant for supported people with learning disabilities.
The incident happened at Inspire’s day service on Allardice Street overnight on Thursday, April 14.
A load of brand new donations and a waste paper basket were among other things said to be stolen.
Police have confirmed they are investigating.
Inspire’s service manager in Stonehaven, Patsy Telford, discovered something was amiss when she came into the service on Friday morning at 8.45am.
She said: “I went for the key and unlocked my office and came through and saw some finance papers on the floor.
“Then I looked up and saw that the door was open.”
What was stolen in Inspire theft?
One of the first things Mrs Telford noticed was missing was a bag of Easter eggs meant for the people supported by the service.
Some brand new donations and also some seemingly random items such as a blue plastic waste paper bin were also missing.
She said: “It’s really weird and they ransacked our loft as well which is where we keep our seasonal items.”
After noticing there were other items strewn about, Mrs Telford told her colleague she thought they might have been burgled.
It was then that they called the police. The 61-year-old described how police officers and a forensic team took charge over the scene.
She added: “I know they were also doing the local knocking on doors and asking people questions. They were really good actually. They came in no time and interviewed us and did all the procedural stuff. It’s in their hands now really.”
While security measures are being put in place, Mrs Telford admitted she was still a little anxious after the incident.
“Today was my first morning back and I did feel wary coming back in and opening the back up again today. I was really frightened to check the door was ok.”
‘It’s sickening’
Many have been showing their support over social media and dropping things off at the service.
Since the break-in, two ladies Freda Fraser and Liz Hendry very generously dropped off replacement Easter eggs.
Mrs Telford said she could not believe people would steal from a service that is trying to help people.
She said: “It’s just the fact that they stole from people with learning disabilities, it’s sickening. And donations that people have given as well.
“Everything’s done on a shoe string, there’s never loads of money sloshing around. It’s terrible.”
A police spokeswoman said: “We received a report of a break-in and theft from a premises on Allardice Street, Stonehaven, around 9.05am on Friday, 15 April, 2022.
“Inquiries are ongoing.”