MUNROE FALLS, Ohio — A trailer containing all of the camping gear belonging to Boy Scout Troop 172 was reported stolen from the Twin Falls United Methodist Church in Munroe Falls.
On Monday, before a meeting, Jeff Kline, the scoutmaster of Troop 172, said he and another scout leader showed up early and noticed the trailer that is usually parked in the church lot was gone.
"He and I are the only two that have keys for this trailer, and, sure enough, their trailer went missing," Kline said.
It had been locked up, but those locks were cut.
"We had three locks on this trailer to try to deter people from even thinking about taking this trailer from us," he said.
Kline said while he is still totaling the dollar value of everything inside the trailer, he estimated the trailer and all the contents inside are about $10,000.
“We're so disappointed,” said Kline. "Since this lockdown started, we've been limited to just camping and Boy Scout camps in the state of Ohio. And that was just opened up to us so that we could start traveling a little further. And that's where that trailer comes in super handy."
He said the trailer contained all the material for camping, a cherished pastime for the Boy Scouts during the pandemic.
“They really took away an opportunity. We were supposed to go camping in two weekends from now, and they've kind of stolen away from that opportunity to go camping just by taking this trailer,” he said.
Kline said the troop started a GoFundMe to help raise money to purchase new camping gear so the scouts can get back outside again.
The Stow-Munroe Falls Nice Foundation has contributed $1,000 to the troops. Carsons Higgins Memorial Foundation also matched a contribution towards the fund.
