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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – Thieves going after catalytic converters in Springfield have hit automobiles owned by Grownup Tendercare Middle 3 times up to now this 12 months.

Director Christopher Upton says the middle cares for folks with disabilities. The injury to the vans utilized by workers doesn’t simply have an effect on the enterprise, however the households they serve.

“I don’t know in case you’ve ever labored with adults with particular wants, however they actually like routines,” says Upton. “Each time that’s tousled, it’s a nasty day for everyone, so it simply breaks our hearts.”

Though video safety cameras and alarms have been put in, Upton says it hasn’t helped to forestall the thefts.

“Not solely are we not the one place that is taking place to, nevertheless it’s taking place to locations like church buildings and Habitat for Humanity and people who find themselves making an attempt to assist folks,” Upton says. “As an alternative of having the ability to give attention to serving to folks, we’re having to give attention to repairing our automobiles.”

He says vans have been left on the middle in a single day for greater than 15 years with out issues, till this 12 months.

Upton says repairs have price the middle hundreds of {dollars}, which is a battle for a family-owned enterprise through the pandemic.

“It’s simply so irritating after on a regular basis we’ve misplaced, all the cash we’ve misplaced during the last 12 months, simply how laborious it has been for everybody,” Upton says. “To need to cope with that, not solely as soon as, however a number of instances, I couldn’t. It was simply unfair. I simply broke down and cried.”

Upton says beginning this week, drivers will take the vans dwelling with them on the finish of the day to try to stop another thefts.

“Clearly they’re simply going to maintain coming again and so they’re simply going to maintain stealing them,” Upton says. “We fortunately have some great drivers and so they stay the place it’s not going to be a problem and so they even have some garages they’re in a position to put them in. We’re having to depend on our workers for that security and it’s unhappy our metropolis can’t present that for us.”

Upton says it’s been a troublesome 12 months for everybody. He needs to assist the place he can.

“As an alternative of stealing our automobiles elements, come inside,” Upton says. “We’ll determine a solution to get you some assist and get you what you want. Sadly, I don’t assume that’s a plea that’s going to be answered.”

Upton says he’s filed police reviews after each theft.

To report a correction or typo, please e mail digitalnews@ky3.com

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