KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Days before Christmas, thieves hampered operations at the Salvation Army Northland Corps Community and Worship Center on North Oak Trafficway.
Two catalytic converters were stolen from two vans, along with the gas tanks punctured, according to Salvation Army Major James Mungai.
"It's frustrating, it's disheartening," Mungai said.
He discovered something was wrong when he tried to gas up one of the vans and noticed something was off.
"I went down to Sams and I stuck the hose in the tank,” Mugai said. “I didn't make anything of it and the guy in front of me says, ‘I think you're leaking something,’ and I looked under and gas was just pouring out stopped it immediately.”
This vandalism will affect how they operate in the coming days.
"We have to find alternative rides for our bell ringers, when we have to deliver things or picking up things, like we're supposed to pick something up Monday, we can't do it now," Mungai said.
The total cost could be more than $5,000. However, it is a critical time for the local branch of the organization which is only at 65 percent of its fundraising goal for the year.
As of now, Mungai said they do not have any surveillance video of the theft, but said that is something they want to invest in.
Anyone who might have information related to the theft is urged to contact police.
