Thieves have ripped off a three-foot donation box that raised money for the Ladner-based B.C. Guide Dog Services and Autism Support Dogs.
Vincci Li, marketing and communication specialist for B.C. Guide Dog Services and Autism Support Dogs, said the organization received a call last Tuesday morning from Surrey's Guildford Town Centre security, letting them known the box was gone.
Li said the donation box, which has been at the Surrey mall since September of last year, was popular with kids.
"You put the coin in and it spins around... It's a shame that somebody just took off with it."
She said although the bin was secured to a pillar with a lock and chain, the crooks managed to take it anyhow, leaving the padlock and chain behind.
B.C. Guide Dog Services, as well its sister charity Autism Support Dogs, have suffered from other thefts involving their smaller coin tins that are found at local retailers. But for both organizations, this is their only large donation box in Canada.
"Once in a while people take the ones located at tills," Li said. "But no one has ever taken this one before. It's kind of surprising, it would be pretty hard to just walk off with it."
Through all coin collection programs last year, the organizations raised more than $25,000.
Li said she doesn't know how much money was lost as a result of the theft.
"We go and empty the box every few months, just to prevent big losses like this," she said.
The theft has been reported to Surrey RCMP.
"We're just sad that somebody would do this."
The blue box is covered in photos of guide dogs and autism support dogs.
Bill Thornton, CEO of the two sister charities, said both organizations rely almost entirely on donations.
"Whenever something like this happens, it really impacts us," Thornton said.
If anyone has seen the missing blue box, they are asked to call 604-940-4504.
