Frustration builds after third break-in this year at charity thrift store

Staff at Retail Therapy KW Thrift & Consign say they feel helpless after their store was broken into for the third time this year.

The store operates as part of a registered charity that helps survivors of domestic violence through community donations.

“We support survivors by providing everything they need for starting over for free, from furniture items to household items to clothing,” explained Amanda Kroetsch, the store’s founder and executive director.

Security footage showed someone in the store, wearing a hoodie, mask, and rummaging through items, around 5 a.m. on Thursday.

“[They were] going through the stuff around the front counter and filling a bunch of bags with a bunch of stuff and then leaving out our back door,” Kroetsch said.

In the morning, staff realized cash, a laptop and some other items were missing.

Break-in caught on camera at Retail Therapy KW Thrift & Consign on Dec. 18, 2024. (Provided)

The first break-in happened in April, when someone stole about $5,000 worth of electronics and cash.

Then, in August, thieves took some cash and donations. 

Kroetsch said the second and third time, the culprit got into building through the window.

“There isn't a lot that we can do. I mean, we can nail our windows shut even more. But then they'll break the windows.”

Every time it happens, staff also have to shut the store down temporarily which means less revenue to help others.

“We'd rather be spending our time and energy in being able to help more of the people that we've set out to help than having to continuously raise money to recover from robberies to help ourselves,” Kroetsch said.

Cash register left discarded after a break-in at Retail Therapy KW Thrift & Consign. (Courtesy: Amanda Kroetsch)

The most recent theft has been reported to Waterloo Regional Police, but Kroetsch said, as of Thursday evening, they hadn’t come by yet.

Police told CTV News they have been made aware of the incident but did not have any details to share.

“There's just a sense that we're slipping through the cracks, that perhaps [it’s] because we're not in a great building,” said Kroetsch. “We don't sell a bunch of jewelry or fancy electronics, but there's a feeling of being sort of left behind and forgotten in these robberies to be honest.”

She worries the store has become an easy target, as it’s located an older building in downtown Kitchener.

Kroetsch said they may be forced to move to a safer location with better security.

“It's definitely not in the budget. We'd have to do some major fundraising to do that.”

Kroetsch said the goal is to try to keep positive and continue to help victims of domestic abuse to not only survive but also thrive.