The Scone Neighbourhood Resource Centre’s community breakfast van has been forced to close after a break‑in left the vehicle damaged and donations stolen.
Volunteer staff arrived on Thursday morning to find the door completely broken, a drawer smashed and the donation box missing. No food was taken, leading the centre to describe the incident as deliberate vandalism rather than desperation.
“If someone had broken in because they were hungry, while we would never condone the damage, we could at least understand the need,” said Lee Watts OAM.
“But no food was taken, only a small amount of donations.”
It follows another incident at the end of last school term when power cords were removed and stolen from the van, causing all refrigerated food to spoil. The service provides free breakfast to any child on their way to school, with volunteers arriving early each morning to prepare meals.
The break‑in has forced the service to shut down temporarily. Staff say they are working hard to have the van repaired and operating again by Monday, but the damage means they must replace the entire door and wait for parts to arrive. They are also hopeful insurance will cover the costs.
The incident was caught on camera and reported to police, and the centre says it is “frustrated, saddened and disappointed” by the impact on families who rely on the service.
