Why would someone repeatedly break into the Kewanee Food Pantry, which gives food free of charge to needy people?
Lisa Janey, director of the pantry, can’t explain it.
In addition to some food, the burglar or burglars took such items as a trash can, bandages, pencil holders, a “cheap” letter opener, a hand vacuum. . .
“I could go on an on,” Janey said.
“It’s just dumb,” she said. “It’s just beyond dumb.”
Janey said it appeared that the pantry building on Rose Street was broken into several times just before Christmas.
Now, that will be much more difficult, thanks to John Misuraca.
Misuraca, who opened Kewanee Lock and Key on Tremont Street last fall, evaluated the security system at the food pantry.
He determined that the building wasn’t entered through the front door, but through an unlocked window. There was a brick on the ground outside the window that helped the intruder get in, he said.
“The windows have locks on them,” Misuraco said. “They just weren’t locked.”
Misuraca installed new locks and advised pantry personnel to keep the windows locked.
He did this at no charge to the food pantry. Misuraca also said the people who are operating the new Tres Café in downtown Kewanee planned to donate some food to the pantry to make up for what was taken.
Security cameras were also installed, which is reported on a new warning sign on the front door.
“I think that might deter them,” Janey said.
No arrests have been made in the case, which remains under investigation by Kewanee police.
She pointed out that the food pantry gets very little food, and no money, from the government.
“We live on donations from the community,” she said.
