Thieves fly off with donations from charitable OKC organization
A Wednesday night burglary resulted in thousands of dollars in items allegedly stolen from a decades-long running charitable organization.
OKLAHOMA COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) - A Wednesday night burglary resulted in thousands of dollars in items allegedly stolen from a decades-long running charitable organization.
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"It's frustrating. We don't want you to buy an airplane, we provide all of the equipment for free. We don't want you to have to join the club unless you want to. All of the events we hold take place out of the charity of the club member's pockets. We don't even ask the city for donations," said Robert Harrison, Vice President of the Oklahoma Radio Kontrol Society (TORK).
Since the 1970s, TORK has met to either swap planes, fly planes or teach. The group also donates to kids, hosts fly nights with thousands of kids at the Paycom Arena with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The group has hosted its events at the Tom Jones Memorial Field off of Lake Hefner Parkway on the southern point of the lake.
"They stole it all," said Harrison.
On Wednesday night, Harrison said that someone or a group broke the lock to a storage container the group keeps on their property just off Lake Hefner Drive.
He said that he woke up early Thursday morning and found their over $5,000 generator stolen. Along with that, he said a highly expensive jack and two full boxes of toys/donations he constantly gives to kids who need them were also stolen.
"We don't make money off of this. That's not us. We are here strictly to fly airplanes and do supportive work for kids and to see those kids' faces when they come out here for a day and can walk away with a free plane. I can't describe it," said Harrison.
The group told News 4 that soon the city will also be increasing the amount they must pay for the permit to hold events at the field. Harrison said that this theft hurts all the more.
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When out at the storage container, News 4 could see that the latch that is made of steel holding onto the container door had been broken.
"We don't know who would have done something like this. Every weekend I pull that generator out and in the parking lot alone I have 80 to 90 people standing there, spectators to it," said Harrison.
Harrison said that they immediately called the police after finding the items stolen. KFOR reached out to Oklahoma City Police Thursday afternoon and was told a report wouldn't be available until Friday morning.
The generator stolen is said to be a Honda EX 4500 commercial generator. Harrison also said that an Astron power amplifier was stolen.
"This is everything we need to hold these events for the kids, now gone," said Harrison.
Harrison asked that if anyone sees the generator or knows anything about the theft to call him at 405-812-7303.
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You can also visit their website at TORKS.org.
"We can't just pay for this stuff out of our own pockets," said Harrison. "We don't have the money to pay to keep these things going."