By BRIDGET SCOTT
VOLUNTEERS from a not for profit store in Bunyip were shattered to discover that a day’s takings had been stolen in an overnight raid last week.
Jenny Webster, a volunteer for the past 12 months, opened up the Bunyip Community Op Shop on Friday morning to find that the takings from the previous day had been stolen.
“There was just under $280,” she said.
Sue Beattie from the opportunity store said it was “quite tragic”.
“To make nearly $300 in one day is a lot of hard work for those volunteers,” she said.
“We have very reasonable prices, $10 is expensive for us.”
Ms Beattie said it was made more shattering because Bunyip was among five towns which recently donated $50,000 in total back to the communities of Garfield, Longwarry, Bayles, Tynong and Bunyip.
Ms Webster said there were no signs of the break-in until they realised the money had been stolen.
“Everything was normal until we went to get the float out,” she said.
Ms Webster said this was the first time the shop had its daily takings stolen, but it has been victim to small thefts in the past.
She said this has prompted the committee to “step up security” at the store.
“We are not leaving the takings in the store overnight anymore,” she said.
“We’re taking extra security measures to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Ms Webster said staff couldn’t see where anyone had broken in so they were concerned that someone may have got hold of a set of keys.
She added that the group would talk about extra security measures at its next meeting.
