Charity which assists women, children burgled

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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Creating Effective Families (CEF), the non-profit organisation which assists women and children who are in abusive situations, was burgled early on 3 June 2020.

CEF is in Alhof Avenue in Mossel Bay, near Ridgeview Primary School.

Social worker at CEF Irene Archer told the Mossel Bay Advertiser the burglary probably took place after 01:15 on 3 June. The Advertiser visited the ransacked premises and interviewed Archer that afternoon.

The CEF alarm sounded at about 01:15 and the security company went to investigate but found nothing, Archer said.

On 3 June, at 10:00, when Archer entered the premises she noticed offices had been ransacked and items stolen.

The burglars removed a safe from a wall completely and took it away, they took three laptops, a television, bed linen, taps off basins, cutlery, food and wooden poles out of the ground from the perimeter fence of the premises.
Both the offices and the shelter section of CEF were ransacked. There are no women and children in the shelter currently.

Replace locks

Keys which were inside a CEF office were taken, so CEF had to have the locks replaced. Several windows were broken including an expensive one-way glass one, used to observe people during counselling or play therapy and suchlike.
It would appear the burglars only took items which they could sell easily and for which they could get the most money. Clothing, towels and baby items were not taken. Archer said: "It's sad this has happened to us because we are helping people in the community."

"We have a voucher project called "beCEFhelp", in which 200 families in Mossel Bay are given a R300 virtual food voucher every two weeks."
The giving of vouchers had begun at the start of April.

Archer said: "We have taken much time and been really thorough in identifying families in need, to receive these vouchers and also, churches of different denominations are involved."

Some of the beneficiaries are women CEF is counselling and also women who stayed at the shelter at some stage.

Police spokesperson Sgt Kappie Kap said anyone with information that could help police recover stolen items and arrest the perpetrators was asked to call the Mossel Bay Police Station investigating unit (044 606 2800), which is handling the case currently.

If you would like to assist CEF, email kgildenhuys@cefmb.co.za.

PHOTO GALLERY: BREAK-IN AT CHARITY