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Okauchee Lions Club theft caught on camera
The Okauchee Lions Club says thieves stole about $2,000 in materials from its volunteer-run park, with surveillance video showing suspects loading a pickup truck before leaving.
OKAUCHEE, Wis. - A volunteer-run community park is asking for help after thieves were caught on camera stealing materials used to keep the facility running.
What we know:
The Lac La Belle Police Department is investigating after the Okauchee Lions Club says two suspects stole equipment from the side of its building Wednesday morning.
The nonprofit says the suspects backed into an empty parking lot, believing no one was watching — but a Ring camera captured the theft.
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Police say no arrests have been made.
What they're saying:
Club leaders Mark Whitaker and Jason McKellips said they were alerted by a motion sensor and later reviewed the footage.
"Why would you take from the community? Why would you do something like that? It's disheartening, it really is," said Whitaker.
"They took multiple trips back and forth, loaded up the back of their pickup truck and were out of here in about 10 minutes," said Jason McKellips. "Downspouts, gutters, fence posts that we hang our signs with on the streets."
The stolen materials are valued at up to $2,000.
Club members say the equipment is used to maintain the property after storms and everyday wear and tear.
"They are here for when damage happens from storms, or rentals use delivery trucks, and sometimes they hit the gutter, and we need to make a repair," Whitaker said.
Dig deeper:
They said they’re frustrated by the theft, especially given the group’s mission.
"We give a safe place back to the community. We receive no county, city, no federal tax dollars to keep this park alive and running," McKellips said. "It's done all 100% by volunteers."
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Despite the loss, they say support from the community has been strong as they work to recover.
"It’s going to set me back a little bit, so if we do incur more gutter damage, it'll be money out of our pocket," Whitaker said.
The club says it is planning future renovations, including additional storage.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.