Bread destroyed after vandals cut power

The Albany Salvation Army has again been targeted by vandals, this time cutting off power to the building, affecting hundreds of dollars worth of frozen bread.

Major Paul Beardsley said the power would have been cut off either on Friday or Saturday night.

He said the vandals went straight to the meter box, turned off the main power switch and stole three fuses, leaving the building without power.

“I’m so disheartened by this senseless vandalism,” he said.

“I just think to myself ‘Why? Why target a community church that is only trying to give back?’.”

The freezer was full of about 150 loaves of bread for those in need.

“Three or four loaves of bread can go along way for someone,” Mr Beardsley said.

“After the power had been shut off, the bread thawed and had to be thrown out.”

He said it wasn’t the first time the building had been targeted.

“We have had other damages and other small instances, and these little things haven’t cost us a lot of money to get fixed and in some cases we have managed to fix them ourself,” he said. “It’s just a massive inconvenience and, to be honest, a kick in the gut.”

“It’s just a senseless act.

“You feel used and targeted.

“We are simply here to benefit the community and when stuff like this happens, it puts a damper on the hard work we are trying to do.”

Mr Beardsley said he would like to see those responsible come forward and apologise

“This kind of behaviour is just mindless, and it may be a joke for them and funny for them, but it’s no joke for us and it’s no joke for the people who don’t have food on their table and the people doing it tough,” he said.

“I don’t think they really understand the damage that they have caused.

“I would like to see them understand what it is they have done.

“I would like them to feel the weight on their shoulders of taking the responsibility of what they have done.”