Box truck filled with frozen turkeys stolen from Lake Elsinore nonprofit
An investigation is underway in Riverside County after a box truck loaded with frozen turkeys set for distribution was stolen from a nonprofit organization in Lake Elsinore on Saturday.
Authorities were called to a church in the 31000 block of Auto Center Drive at around 7:55 a.m. after receiving reports of a stolen vehicle in the area, Riverside County Sheriff's Office officials told CBS Los Angeles.
Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the victim, who told them that a box truck with the frozen turkeys had been taken. Despite checking the area, they were unable to locate the truck.
Officials with the U.R. Important Foundation say that there were more than 500 frozen turkeys inside of the truck when it was taken, and that it happened while members were sorting food for a Thanksgiving giveaway to people in need.
"It is difficult, but isn't that what life is? I think that we fool ourselves if we think that life is gonna be great every single day," said Alexxa Oliver, the founder of the foundation. "If it was great, then we wouldn't have tenacity, we wouldn't have strength, we wouldn't be overcomers because there would be nothing to overcome."
Despite the loss, Oliver says that she's not angered by the incident.
"This is just another mountain for us to climb, and we're gonna climb it and we're gonna conquer it," she said.
On Monday, Oliver and her children began shopping from store to store, hoping to replace the stolen turkeys.
"We're gonna get these, what we can afford, and go to a few other Walmarts," Oliver told CBS Los Angeles.
She said that all of the stolen turkeys had been previously donated to her foundation, which she started out of her home 18 years ago.
"Abbot Laboratories in Temecula ... they donate to us every year and they are faithful with it," Oliver said. "We appreciate them always trying to feed the community."
Investigators say that they have security camera footage that they are reviewing in hopes of locating the suspect.
Oliver says that an anonymous donor has stepped forward to help replace the stolen turkeys. They hope to feed at least 200 people ahead of the holiday.