Volunteers with the Nile Creek Enhancement Society (NCES) were stunned to learn their fish hatchery on the creek in the community of Bowser was burglarized earlier this month but they aren’t letting the set back hamper the important restoration work they do.
NCES President Ken Kirkby said someone picked the lock on building that houses their incubators and made off with over $2000 worth of specialized equipment. He said as far as they can tell none of the incubators were tampered with but they had to scramble to replace all the items that were stolen.
“They took generators, power washers…all the electric tools you need for the trade … cables, shovels … you name it,” stated Kirkby.
He said it is not the first time the hatchery has been burglarized and he can’t fathom why anyone would want to hamper the good work so many volunteers in the community do.
“We get no pay to do this work and we don’t ask for it. Money is generated through fund raising and we are happy to do what we do but when someone comes along and behaves in this way … the first reaction is to be angry, the second is to be sad and the third is to wonder about these people and their antisocial behaviour.”
He said whoever is responsible he would like them to consider whatever it is in their life that is causing them to behave this way.
“All we are asking is for them to come clean. Perhaps they would like to sit down and talk with me and maybe I can be helpful. If they are poor and need some money I might give them some.”
Kirkby said they had to dip into their own pockets to replace the stolen equipment which wasn’t insured.
“We are not insured because the cost of insurance once you are off the main route is staggering,” he admitted.
Kirkby said they have learned from this and now all of their equipment is chipped and traceable. As well they have installed locks that cannot be picked.
“We learn as we go,” he stated.
Read more in Tuesday’s print edition of The News.
