It’s been more than a month since Camp Ispah was raided by an unknown suspect.
When a volunteer went to check on the camp on July first, he discovered doors smashed in, locks destroyed, and thousands of dollars worth of equipment missing.
“The volunteer had been working out there, so he had a chop saw, skill saw, water pump, and bedding,” explains Camp Ispah chairperson Jeanette Schaber.
Schaber and others involved with Camp Ispah think the thief accessed the camp by canoe, as the main gate wasn’t tampered with, and no motors are allowed on Lake Ispah.
But this may not be an isolated incident, and Schaber noted an earlier robbery that may have some ties…
“It happened the very week the Boy Scouts were broken into. we believe a green canoe was involved, and the boy scouts were really interested in that because one of the things that was missing from Camp Hughes was a green canoe.”
The volunteer who discovered the theft immediately contacted police, but the investigation has proven fruitless so far.
“It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later that we kind of went after the police to say ‘What is happening?'” says Schaber, “They did come and take a statement at that time, but so far we have heard absolutely nothing.”
With the investigation in limbo, the camp has hit another dead end in replacing the equipment.
Because the majority of equipment stolen was privately owned by a volunteer, it isn’t covered by the Camp’s insurance.
The camp can cover the cost of stolen axes, but with that comes a $1000 deductible.
Though there are still many frustration surround the incident, Camp Ispah is still running, and broken doors and locks have all been replaced.
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