Thieves steal computers and jeopardize a mission trip

Thieves strike The Lions Club of Alabama. They took computers and other items more valuable.

Vernon Barker, with the Lion's Club of Alabama said, "I can't believe anybody would do anything like that." Barker says the thieves who stole from his group may have no idea how much damage they've really caused.
     
"Please bring our computers back," Barker said.

The lock on the door has been replaced where the crooks broke in and stole 6 laptops. Those laptops contained a database of information for the club's "Recycle for Sight Program". That's where people donate thousands of old glasses to the needy. All of the information, matching each set of glasses with its prescription, is gone.
     
Barker said,  "All of the hard work that our club has put into inputting glasses, it's gone. That made me sick when I realized the computers were gone, really made me sick."

What's worse is club members were leaving for a mission trip to Mexico in two weeks to distribute eight thousand pairs of glasses.

Tracy Smith with the Lion's Club says it's frustrating that people who try to help others in need become victims of crime. Their effort is now sabotaged. And the less fortunate are the ones who really suffer.

Smith said, "They are helping people there that literally have no alternative, can't see without glasses. All of their time collecting glasses across the state and hours they spent manually typing information into the computer. All of that time and effort is lost because of a selfish person wanting to take something away."

Club members will now have to try to raise money to buy new laptops and start all over entering countless information into a database again. The laptops have the "Lion's Club" logo on them. And a local pawn shop has reported someone trying to pawn the laptops. Now it's a matter of police tracking them down.

If you know anything call Moody police; 640-0339.

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