For a 2nd time this year, Kitchener thrift store helping domestic abuse survivors is ransacked | CBC News (2024)

Keena Alwahaidi · CBC News

· Posted: Aug 29, 2024 6:13 AM EDT | Last Updated: August 30

A thrift store in Kitchener that donates money and goods to domestic abuse survivors was broken into for a second time this year.

Retail Therapy KW Thrift & Consignisa non-profit that gives awaygoods and moneyto domestic abuse survivors inneed,with allof the proceeds from their sales going towardthe cause.

Amanda Kroetsch, founder and executive director, says it was mainly ransacked of jewlery, roughly $300 and miscellaneous items.

When she entered the store that morning, she said recalled something feeling off immediately.

"As I walked into the store, I discovered that the window had come in, they had pushed the air conditioner out of the window and that there were things strewn all over the floor. Our cash register was open, all the drawers were open and it was a mess," she said.

"I was just kind of in shock."

WATCH | 'It was a mess':The aftermath of the theft at the Kitchener thrift store:

When the store was broken into for the first time back in April, Kroetsch says it wasworse, with much of the store's equipment and $5,000 stolen, as well as home office furniture.

"The last timethe store was in much more disarray, a lot more items had been taken and we actually lost our equipment that we used to run the store," said Kroetsch.

"The iPad, our square system, our scanning gun — all of that was taken and also some petty cash that we had on hand," she said.

"This time it was just isolated to the side of the store that we have our household items and our clothing and jewlery."

Police confirmed to CBC News that two unknown males entered the store on Monday. They say the investigation is still ongoing and they have not located anysuspects.

"We do have a sign on our door that says, 'Hey, if you're a person in need and there's something we can do to help, please just come to the front counter and ask.' We even have a sign up in our change room that says 'Please don't steal from us.'That doesn't seem to be much of a deterrent. It's pretty disheartening," she said.

"It's sad, but I think a lot of people are struggling. So we're not angry, we're not mad. We just really wish that we could come together as a community and really help each other out so that we're not struggling as much."

Starting again

Kroetsch is a domestic abuse survivor herself. She fled from her situation five years ago, even while healing froma brain injury.

Always an entrepreneur, she wanted to get her life back and invest in helping other survivors.

"For me, creating this organization was twofold," she said. "It was in part to create an environment where I could feel comfortable trying to return to the work world after the brain injury factor, complex PTSD, and what I went through, but also a way to provide others with the items they might need when they're starting over."

She was lucky enough to bring her personal items with her when she left. But she knows that a lot of survivors don't get to — or don't want to, as they might serve as a reminder of the past.

It's part of the reason she created Retail Therapy KW, to provide those who need to start over with charitable items to get their life back on track.

"For me, it was a way to justfill a tiny gap that I didn't see was being offered in the community of providing survivors with the stuff they might need to start over."

LISTEN|Retail Therapy KW left picking up the pieces following 2nd break in this year:

So, every Monday and Tuesday, the store closes up and they invite survivors from all walks of life to come in and shop for free during a three-hour window.

"We're just really hoping to ease that burden and also to encourage survivors to pick out what they like and want rather than what they just need," said Kroetsch.

"We don't think that leaving a violent relationship should be a punishment when you're starting over. We think that there should be support from the community and starting over."

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