(Photo: submitted)
A disappointing start to the day for Moncton Headstart.
Executive Director Caroline Donnelle says they arrived to find the catalytic converter had been cut from on of their buses that helps transport kids every morning, “One of the drivers started the bus this morning and thought it was going to blow up because of the sound. It was only when they crawled underneath, they saw what had happened, that it had been cut out.”
Donnelle says the vehicle was parked at their Mountain Road location when the theft occurred overnight, “We have security cameras, but obviously someone didn’t care about that.”
Between 20 and 24 kids are picked up by the buses each day and transported to Moncton Headstart.
“We have two buses, and one of them is a little older and needs replacement. The one that is newer had the catalytic converter cut out of it. Because they kids are in different areas and they are different age groups, the buses go to different parts of the city. That is why we had two. We’re all just sick about what happened,” Donnelle says.
The theft has been reported to RCMP and Donnelle says they are going through video footage to see if there is anything they can provide to police.
She is also hoping insurance will cover the cost of replacing the catalytic converter.
Donnelle says, “We are a small charity in Greater Moncton that provides pretty intensive support services to families in need. It is going to take a long time to get this bus back on the road again. It is just a massive inconvenience and I just want to say to whoever would have done that, Why? Shame on you!”
Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP.
