Fridges, portable radios, safety equipment, search lights and emergency warning lights were among the items stolen from the unit shed between 10am on Sunday and 5.40pm on Wednesday.
Unit commander Roy Maiden said he knew something was off when he arrived at the shed on Wednesday night to discover the fly screens had been ripped off and the window left open.
‘‘I called the Moama cops straight away,’’ he said.
‘‘We won’t do a proper inventory until the forensics are done but we believe between $5000 and $10,000 of equipment has been stolen.
‘‘Of that, about $3500 worth of emergency warning lights were gone — half of those had been donated and we’d raised money to purchase the other half.’’
Marine Rescue is a volunteer service committed to saving lives on the water through its boating safety education and coordinated 24/7 emergency response.
Tragically, the local branch has also been on the scene when local lives are lost.
‘‘We’ve had the heartbreaking job of assisting in retrieving five bodies out of the water in the past six years we’ve been operating,’’ Roy said.
With most of the local branch’s equipment purchased through regular raffles and tin-rattling by members, Roy said the team was outraged by the heartless theft.
And if they could say anything to the thieves: ‘‘Grow up, get a backbone and give it back.’’
‘‘For them to steal equipment from an emergency service unit, I don’t think they can have a conscience,’’ Roy said.
‘‘Think about the community.’’
Police are currently investigating and forensic evidence has been located.
Anyone with information should call Moama Police on 5482 0099 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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