Burglars steal supplies from the Red Cross on Christmas Eve

Burglars made off with multiple pallets full of relief supplies, which were stolen from a Red Cross warehouse in Loenen, Gelderland on Christmas Eve, the humanitarian organization announced on Thursday. The supplies, including diapers, toiletries, and children’s toys, were meant for refugees living in the Netherlands.

The burglars also stole equipment, portable defibrillators, dozens of first aid kits, and two Red Cross vans. The vans were later found damaged. One of them can still be used, but it was still unclear if the other could be put into service, a spokesperson for the Red Cross said.

“It is a huge shame that we have lost these things due to theft. We hope we can recover the loot or that it is given back," said Heleen van den Berg, head of national assistance for the Dutch Red Cross.

“We are shocked and disappointed that the Red Cross warehouse was a target for thieves. Maybe the burglars don’t realize it, but with this deed, you are not just stealing from the Red Cross but also from the refugees. A lot of the relief supplies were meant for them. We are talking about people who have been through a lot and have usually lost everything,” said Van den Berg.

The humanitarian organization is pressing charges. The spokesperson could not confirm If there will be stricter security measures at the warehouse in the future. “We will await the results of the police investigation first.”