News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
As a Crossville church group prepared to go help tornado victims in Chattanooga, they discovered about $5,000 worth of equipment has been stolen from their work trailers.
Power equipment from the Cumberland Plateau Baptist Association went missing Tuesday morning before members embarked to Chattanooga. Director of Missions Kirk Casey said members used their personal equipment instead for the relief effort.
“As a Christian you feel for the people that feel like they have to steal from those that help,” Casey said. “You want them to at least have their lives turned around in some way, so there is that compassion toward those that steal from you. If you can turn that anger and upset-ness into compassion, that’s the best thing to do.”
A pole saw, generator, full gasoline tank, tool box, six chain saws, and other small items were stolen. Casey said a cooler and a few nailers were stolen from another trailer.
Casey said he and other volunteers have been working in Chattanooga since Tuesday and plan to return home Friday.
“We got another call out to go to the tornado damage in Chattanooga,” Casey said. “It’s been our third call out, we did help out with the Cookeville incident and of course Cumberland County’s incident 10 to 12 days ago. We had our team ready to come down to Chattanooga and when we got to our trailer and started to put stuff in it we noticed all of our equipment was stolen,”
About two years ago tires were stolen from one of the trailers. Crossville Police are investigating.
