$2M in toys stolen from Toronto Salvation Army warehouse
Posted November 21, 2012 3:01 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Around 100,000 toys worth $2 million were stolen from a Toronto Salvation Army warehouse over the last two years, a spokesperson for the charity said Wednesday.
Maj. John Murray said food and other donated products were also taken in an elaborate theft and fraud scheme that is being investigated by both Toronto Police and the Salvation Army’s own auditors.
The toys were taken from its Railside Road warehouse, near Lawrence and Victoria Park avenues.
No arrests have been made yet.
The Salvation Army fired its warehouse executive director this week after an internal forensic audit, but Murray wouldn’t name the individual or elaborate on a reason for the termination.
The province’s annual Sunshine List, which publishes salaries of public sector employees, lists David Rennie as the executive director at the Railside location in 2010 and 2011.
An employee brought the thefts to the attention of the charity in mid-August, launching an immediate internal investigation.
“As soon as we confirmed the loss we started working with police,” Murray said.
The charity expects insurance to cover most of the losses, but Murray expressed concern that news of the large scale theft would deter future donations.
The Salvation Army is preparing for its annual Christmas Kettle Campaign, seeking donations at malls and busy street corners.
“To those Canadians who give to the Salvation Army, I would appeal to you to not lose confidence in the work of the Salvation Army and the work we do on your behalf.”
“The Salvation Army regards every donation…as sacred. And we embrace our obligation to put those donations to good work to the people who need them most.”
In the meantime, a Toronto toymaker is offering more than $100,000 worth of toys to help replace some of the stolen merchandise.
After reading about the Salvation Army’s plight, Spin Master Ltd. said it contacted the organization Wednesday morning and offered “thousands and thousands of toys” to be delivered in the next few days, spokeswoman Stephanie Kerr told CityNews.
News of the thefts in Toronto comes just days after the Salvation Army in Ottawa fired its executive director after an internal audit showed $240,000 went missing from that organization over eight years.
With files from Shawne McKeown, CityNews.ca
