The Pineville Boy Scouts Troop 502 says it has been set back thousands of dollars after all of its camping gear was stolen and its trailer was heavily damaged.
PINEVILLE, N.C. — A Pineville Boy Scouts troop is seeking help after a thief stole its trailer from a church recently. The trailer had all of the troop’s camping gear and priceless mementos inside.
The trailer was found in Lancaster County, all of the valuable equipment inside was gone and the trailer was heavily damaged.
Scout Master Harry Kaiser, who has led Troop 502 for years, said he always locks up the trailer and its hitch, but that did not stop the thief from dragging it away from the church parking lot and breaking in.
“They just ripped everything off here, so we can’t use that now,” Kaiser said while pointing out the damage and missing handles on the trailer door.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office found the trailer abandoned in a field and notified the Pineville Police Department after running its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The trailer, once filled with years of cherished memories, is now empty.
“Everything is gone,” said Kaiser. “25 years’ worth of scouting stuff — all of our tents, all of our camping gear, all of our flags, all of the custom stuff we’ve made over the years.”
Pradeep Sundriyal, a parent, has since started a GoFundMe campaign to help replace the stolen gear and repair the trailer.
“Cooking utensils, stoves and everything, he either sold or disposed of them,” said Sundriyal, who estimates the cost of repairs and replacing the lost items at roughly $16,000.
Despite the setbacks, Troop 502 remains optimistic.
“We’re starting from scratch again,” said Kaiser as he reflected on the theft.
“Some memories which were built over 25 years of the scouting — those are gone,” Sundriyal added. “But at least we can replenish essentials like tents, gas stoves, propane tanks.
The suspect believed to be responsible for the theft is already in jail on multiple theft charges in Lancaster County. The Pineville Police Department has pending warrants to bring the suspect to Mecklenburg County.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
