Charity rocked

By Casey Neill
A CALLOUS thief has caused more than $5000 damage to cars parked at a charity event, devastating young hills fundraisers.
Yarra Ranges Relay for Life team Jungle Fever raised more than $900 at a trivia night at Lilydale Squash Club on 11 September.
But guests and organisers received a slap in the face when they returned to their cars.
A thief had broken into nine cars parked at the Swansea Road venue during the event, shattering windscreens and windows and stealing cash and iPods.
Jungle Fever team member and Yarra Ranges Relay for Life mission delivery co-ordinator Abby Horsburgh was ‘just devastated’.
‘This ruined what was a fun night out for a great cause,’ she said.
‘We felt so bad for all the people who had come and supported us. All their cars had been smashed.’
Relay for Life is a Cancer Council event that supports people affected by cancer and raises money for treatment and education.
Dandenongs-based Jungle Fever has 30 members, all aged between 20 and 22. Many are former Monbulk College students.
‘In high school, two of our friends lost their mums to cancer, and another friend was fighting it,’ Ms Horsburgh said.
‘We just felt really helpless.’
A classmate called a help line and found out about Relay for Life. This year they will take part in their fourth Relay. They hope to raise $1500.
They’ll keep their team baton moving around Morrison Reserve in Mount Evelyn from 4pm on Saturday 23 October to 10am the following day.
‘It is a low act to break and steal from young people who are trying to give back to their community,’ Ms Horsburgh said.
‘But, it won’t deter us.’
The Mount Evelyn resident was more disappointed than angry.
‘It was clearly signed that it was a Relay event and a Cancer Council event,’ she said.
‘I feel sorry for him. It was a really low act.’
The thief smashed all four side-windows and the windscreen of some cars.
‘The damage to the cars was unnecessary,’ Ms Horsburgh said.
‘It was just reckless. That also really infuriated people.’
Lilydale CIU Detective Senior Constable Ross Bingley said police were currently trying to locate their suspect.
He said the attack was random and the thief also targeted four vehicles in a nearby medical centre and fish and chip shop car park.
Billanook Ward councillor Tim Heenan said the incident saddened him.
‘They really don’t need this,’ he said.
‘They’re focussed on raising as much money as they can for cancer research.’
‘I know that some good will come out of it.’
‘You’ve got to rise above it because there’s a bigger picture.’
Visit www.relayforlife.org.au to support the team.