Thieves steal over $1,000 in food from Warren charitable dining hall

WARREN  A charitable dining hall that serves hundreds of people in the Warren area was burglarized early Tuesday morning, with thieves making off with food and damaging a window grate. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Mahoning, a local Catholic charitable organization, reported the theft, which took place at its Dining Hall located at 2355 Niles Rd. SE.

Warren police were called around 4:00 PM after the organization's CEO discovered the break-in. According to the police report, the theft occurred sometime between 1:45 AM and 3:00 AM. Surveillance footage captured two unknown women wearing bulky clothing and hats.

The suspects first attempted to disable the dining hall's security cameras. The footage shows them tampering with several cameras, with one even climbing onto the roof to manually turn a north-side camera away from the building. Though they moved some of the cameras, they were not successful in disabling all of them.

After attempting to obscure the cameras, the suspects pried open a metal grate over a window and entered the building through the unlocked window.  Once inside the kitchen, the suspects loaded one or more shopping carts with bulk food products. The estimated value of the stolen food is estimated to be well over $1,000.

The police report's narrative indicates that the camera footage shows one suspect, described as "heavier set," leaving the scene with a loaded cart, walking southbound on Niles Rd. A second, smaller female suspect was not seen leaving but is believed to have left in the opposite direction.

The police have taken the USB drive containing surveillance footage into evidence.

The St. Vincent de Paul officials say the dining hall is a vital resource in a "food desert," where the nearest grocery store is at least two miles away. The organization has seen a dramatic increase in demand for its services since the pandemic, with the number of people served each day jumping from around 150 to between 450 and 650. In addition to daily meals, the organization also distributes hundreds of food pantry boxes to those in need.

Police are currently investigating the crime, which is classified as breaking and entering, theft, vandalism, and tampering with evidence. The suspects remain at large.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a lay-led organization that focuses on easing the burden of poverty in the Greater Youngstown and Warren area.