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Written by Andrew Powell and Greg Bird
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Friday, 04 December 2009 |
The Thanksgiving holiday is supposed to be a time of quiet reflection to give thanks for all our blessings, but for the students at the Beulah Mountain Christian Academy, it turned into a time to ask, ‘why?’
The Thanksgiving holiday is supposed to be a time of quiet reflection to give thanks for all our blessings, but for the students at the Beulah Mountain Christian Academy, it turned into a time to ask, ‘why?’
Wednesday night, thieves broke into one of the Christian school’s buildings and stole more than $3,000 worth of equipment, necessary to operation of the facility.
Brother James Howard, Academy Director, discovered the theft and reported it to local law enforcement on Thanksgiving Day. Howard said a number of power tools, air tools and hand tools, both belonging to the center and on-site personnel, were taken.
“I just think it is deplorable that someone would break into our facility to steal from children,” Brother Howard told The Voice. “We operate entirely on donations and on the generosity of others and everything we have here goes directly to the support of the children.”
Howard said this is not the first time the facility had been stolen from.
“We can’t lock everything up or stand guard at all hours,” Howard added. “I just question why we as a community should accept this type of environment and expect all of our children to live this way.”
Howard said the facility managers, as any guardian would, expects their children not to have to live in fear or with the threat that comes from those associated with thievery.
“We want these children to be able to not be afraid their bikes are not going to be stolen or that someone will break into their dorms and take what little they have.”
Sheriff Gus Skinner said Tuesday his department is investigating the theft. Deputy David Sampson was working several leads and attempting to recover some of the stolen items.
“I can’t say a whole lot at this point, but David is running some leads down and trying to locate some stolen items now,” Skinner said.
“First we had people out here stealing copper from churches and now they are going to steal from children at a Christian school,” Skinner said. “It is a shame that people stoop to this level.”
Skinner said thefts and related crimes always increase around the holidays, especially as Christmas approaches and thieves look for money and easy targets coming in the form of newly opened gifts. According to this week’s criminal case report issued by Sheriff Skinner, a total of seven thefts were reported during the holiday week.
“The community should be more aware during this time of year. Tell your neighbors to watch your place when you are not home and carefully dispose of boxes Christmas gifts come in. An empty cardboard box from a new television in the waste bin on pickup day, makes for an easy target,” he added.
Skinner said any information related to the case at Beulah Mountain Christian Academy or any other open case (check the Sheriff’s Report on page A9) should be reported to his office by calling (606) 376-2322 or the anonymous tip line at (606) 376-UTIP.
Brother Howard is asking the community to help with his case and report any information they may have that can lead to the arrest of those involved and return of the center’s property. A reward is being offered in the case.
“The entire community needs to band together and find a greater sense of awareness to help put an end to this for all of us,” Bother Howard said. “Local law enforcement does everything they can, but I think with situations like this they become overwhelmed. And, we all know that you can’t stop the thieves once they know what you have.”
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