NEW YORK, NY, March 23, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Yesterday a pregnancy care center in New York City across from the Planned Parenthood clinic in the South Bronx was “virtually destroyed” after it was broken into, apparently by burglars.
Photographs show wood flooring and plaster in the center chopped into bits, while clothing, unborn baby models and other supplies are overturned and strewn haphazardly across the floor.
According to Chris Slattery, who heads up the EMC Frontline chain of pregnancy centers to which the South Bronx center belongs, burglars broke into the building through the second story window, stole over $5,000 worth of equipment, and “virtually destroyed the office.”
“The rampage of these heartless criminals shattered windows, stole all of our audio visual equipment, destroyed displays and supplies, tore up the ceiling, doors, and floor,” he said. “They even broke into our supply closet and stole our Pampers.”
Slattery told LSN that in all likelihood the crime was perpetrated by drug addicts seeking some quick cash. “We’re in a warzone. We’re in the South Bronx,” he said.
It appears that after accessing the offices through the window on the second floor, the burglars chopped through the flooring so that they could exit the building through the door to avoid being detected. “It’s just amazing the resourcefulness,” he said.
Adding insult to injury, yesterday there was construction going on in the street outside the office, and so the pregnancy center was without electricity and heat for half the day. But despite the hardly ideal conditions the pro-life counselors still managed to counsel one woman yesterday, said Slattery.
Today they have put a large piece of plywood wood across the hole in the floor and put a rug over it, and are back in business.
“The staff in our Bronx office is heartbroken, but they have all pulled together to put together the pieces,” he said in an e-mail to supporters last night, in which he asked for donations to help cover the damages and equipment loss.
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