An unidentified thief stole an estimated $50 thousand worth of merchandise Monday night from local nonprofit My Sister’s Closet.
My Sister’s Closet Executive Director Sandy Keller said for a small organization, this amounts to a massive loss.
“This is a really little organization,” she said. “We may have a big building, but our budget’s not more than $300,000 a year.”
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At around 10:30 that night the burglar broke through a small window beside the front door to enter the second-hand shop.
The intruder stole jewelry, designer handbags, a microscope and a tip jar, smashing several display cases and ransacking Keller’s office. The thief left the store around two in the morning.
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My Sister’s Closet offers professional clothing, career coaching and skills training to women in poverty.
Although damage to the store has been mostly repaired, Keller worries about the psychological effect the robbery could have on women who rely on her organization.
“It does a lot more than take away from our ability to fund the mission,” Keller said. “It makes people feel like this is no longer a safe place to come in.”
Security camera footage shows the intruder was wearing white gloves, a white hoodie and a white puffer coat.
Bloomington police said they are actively investigating the crime.
