Thieves took full tank of heating oil, Charlottetown charity says

The Gifts from the Heart store lost a full tank of oil worth about $1,300after someone is believed to have siphoned off the full tank behind the store.

Betty Begg-Brooks is the CEO and founder of the charity, which provides a wide range of items to people in need.

She said losing the oil puts a financial burden on her organization.

"I started to cry, why would somebody dothatto an organization that looks after these people," she said. "I work hard to get what these clients need."

She said she and the volunteers all shed some tears when they discovered the theft, and find it hard to believe it happened.

"How could somebody do that to us, it's not like we're people with money," she said.

The store gives away food, furniture, clothing and more to people with low-incomeas well asfamilies or people going through hardship.

Expensive bill to cover

Begg-Brooks said when the furnace didn't click on Saturdayshe worried there was a leak, so she went outside to check the tank, thinking there might be a problem. She didn't find a leak, butnoticed the indicator on the recently-filled tank wasshowing empty.

"The gauge said empty, so basicallywhat happened was somebody came and siphoned out all our oil," she said.

Begg-Brooks said the cap on tank's top pipe was broken offit has now been replaced with a locked cap.

"Now we're looking at a $1,300bill to pay it," she said.

The group also plans to install security cameras, another expense for the group beyond replacing the oil.

"I have to find out where that money is coming from," she said.

Charity already stretched to help people

Begg-Brooks said it breaks her spirit to see the theft and that her organization is already stretched to help people as demand has increased during the pandemic.

"Our clientele have gone from 334 families to 1,272 families since COVID," she said.

Begg-Brooks said she is determined to keep the charity going,andalthough it will stay on Spring Lane for now, she said the theft is motivating her to look harder for another location.

The Charlottetown Police were not available for comment by time of publication.