PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Scout leaders of Troop 351 said $10,000 - $15,000 worth of camping gear was stolen outside of Pilgrim Church Tuesday night.
Lucas Blanchette, senior patrol leader of the troop said he’s disappointed this happened a few weeks before his favorite trip.
“I feel pretty bad because all of us look forward to our Daytona trip every year. And now we probably won’t be able to go,” he said.
Blanchette said he was shocked when he found out the trailer holding all of the boy scouts and cub scouts camping gear was stolen.
It was stolen an hour after the cub scout meeting Tuesday, but they didn’t find out it was gone until they returned for gear Saturday night. The trailer had tents, coolers and cooking equipment. Blanchette said pretty much everything the 53 boy scouts and cub scouts needed to go camping. And he said he just hopes surveillance video from the church will help them get their gear back.
“I hope someone finds this guy or the photo gets there and someone realizes who this is and they return the trailer. Or we find that guy and get it back,” said Blanchette.
“The trailer is about 18 feet long. Scout master Chris White looked at the surveillance footage before handing it over to Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and said this wasn’t a one-man job.
“It was at least two. There’s a shot in the video when the passenger door opened. So it must be a least two people,” he said.
He also said based on the footage, it looks like the get away car was an older white Ford Escape SUV.
The boy scout season usually lasts for the entire school year. But without that equipment, White said the rest of the season’s in jeopardy. He said he wants one thing most.
“I’d be very content with them just bringing it all back,” he said.
Anyone with information regarding this case can call Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
