Catalytic converters stolen from Bolingbrook food pantry's trucks; distribution could be affected

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (WLS) -- The catalytic converters were stolen off a south suburban food pantry's trucks, Bolingbrook police said Friday.

Police responded to 4 KIDS Sake Food Pantry and Enrichment Center, located at 339 Remington Boulevard, just after 6:30 a.m. Friday for a report of two stolen catalytic converters.

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Police said they don't have any leads on who might have committed the crime.

The food pantry said their box trucks were parked on their dock and in their front parking lot between 7 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday, when the catalytic converters were cut off.

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They said the incident might affect upcoming food distribution, as they assess the cost of the damage.

The pantry serves over 100 people.

"I founded this organization when I was 17 with a heart to help people," 4 KIDS Sake founder and CEO Theresa Grzenia said. "Doing all these things to help our community, for something like this to happen makes it really difficult to pick yourself back up by the bootstraps."

The pantry said they are looking at security footage to try to identify any possible suspects, but asked for the public's help providing information about the thefts.

"We do food recovery pick-ups Monday through Saturday. It allows us to get most fresh items for our clients," Grzenia said. "We have the backup truck to be able to give us that backup if something happens, if the truck is in for repairs, things like that. Come to find out when he made his way to the other side of the building, that one was damaged as well."

Bolingbrook police said there was also a catalytic converter theft in the 200-block of Remington in the same time period.

"Just ask them, why? Why they felt the need to do this? I don't know," volunteer Ed Danley said.

Now, these volunteers' efforts to help their community will have to cease for a couple of days, as the non-profit charity that gets most of its funds from fundraising is forced into limbo.

"It's definitely disheartening. We're not sure if insurance is going to cover everything, what the timeline is going to be, if we need rental trucks, how long are they going to be out for?" Grzenia said.