JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Surveillance video captured someone burglarizing and vandalizing the First Coast No More Homeless Pets clinic in Northwest Jacksonville, employees told News4Jax.
It happened early Sunday morning at the Norwood Avenue Spay/Neuter Veterinary Clinic, run by the nonprofit organization that helps low-income pet owners receive medical care for their animals.
Surveillance video recorded the crook from the moment he was on the property to the moment he bashed through a glass door and entered the building.
The burglar is first spotted on an outdoor surveillance camera walking next to the front of the building. An indoor surveillance camera later captures the man breaking through a glass door. Then, the man is seen making his way toward the front desk before climbing over it.
"The most disappointing thing is they went -- hands and knees -- over the counter, through our cash drawers," FCNMHP chief development officer Rob Levine said Wednesday. "They went into our donation jar -- end-of-year campaign donations to help people who need help to support care for their animals."
Donations help FCNMHP provide veterinary health care for pets that have owners with low or fixed incomes.
Levine said the organization has now lost that money and it's having to spend money to pay for repairs after the place was vandalized. He offered some advice for the crook.
"Well, first, turn yourself in so you don’t do it to anyone else or any other nonprofit," he said. "But I would love for him to come sit with us and meet the people we serve every day. We are representative of our community. People come here for help. They come here because we care about their pets. We care about them, and what happened Sunday morning was not a caring act.”
Fortunately, none of the animals inside were harmed during the burglary.
Anyone with information or who recognizes the person seen in the surveillance footage is asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Click here if you would like to make a donation to FCNMHP.