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Beech Grove restaurant holding fundraiser for Indianapolis nonprofit after missing box truck found majorly damaged

The theft happened to the team at Servant's Heart of Indy, a charity that helps families in need in the Beech Grove area by providing food and clothes.

BEECH GROVE, Ind. — A local nonprofit on Indy's southeast side needs help after its stolen box truck suffered major damage.

The theft happened to the team at Servant's Heart of Indy, a charity on Elmwood Avenue that helps families in need in the Beech Grove area by providing food and clothes.

According to Beech Grove Police, the theft happened overnight Thursday, April 28 into Friday, April 29. 

Security footage shows a two-man team in a white van pulling alongside and stealing the box truck. 

The truck has a "Calise bakery" decal on the side. 

The nonprofit food pantry said they bought the truck in March, and it plays a vital role in their day-to-day operations by helping them pick up and transport furniture and food to Beech Grove families in need.

"We've been looking for the truck for three years...been saving for the truck for five years and when we found it, we jumped right on it," said Bill Boone, executive director of Servant's Heart of Indy. "We still had the paper tags on the truck...still had our temporary tags on the truck, didn't have our permanent tags on it yet."

Boone said without the truck, they now have to make double trips with smaller vans to haul everything.

"Right now, I've got a big pickup at Midwest on Tuesday, our big monthly pickup," Boone said. "I don't have our big truck to do that, so I'm going to have to borrow a truck to do that on Tuesday at noon. So, instead of the operation flowing smoothly, now we have to do a little shuffle."

Boone said the money they used to buy the truck came from donors and other resources over the years that they saved up, so they're really hoping they can recover their truck.

"When something like this happens, you know that you're doing what God wants you to do, because the devil is trying to stop you," Boone said, "trying to put a wrench in the gear bone, and that's not going to happen. It's not going to steal our joy, and I just pray for the knuckleheads that stole our truck."

Some good news is that the nonprofit is still able to keep their mission going. Over the weekend, they were able to help more than 100 families in need with food and clothes.

Tuesday afternoon, Servant's Heart of Indy posted on its Facebook page that Beech Grove police got a tip around 2:20 a.m. that the truck was found.

The nonprofit said major damage was done, including the steering column being trashed, passenger door damaged with the lock torn out and catalytic converter stolen.

"I really feel sad for the folks that stole the truck. Why you say? Well, they were living in the truck with their dog. Times are so hard that people would steal a truck to have shelter," the post reads.

Servant's Heart of Indy will have the truck repaired but isn't sure of the costs yet.

Rustic Root restaurant in Beech Grove will be holding a fundraiser Thursday, May 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with 100% of the proceeds going to fix the truck. Hanna's Wrecker Service will also match dollar-for-dollar what is raised.

The nonprofit said two donors also came by Tuesday to give $500 and $1,000 checks.

Anyone with information on the incident can call Beech Grove Police at 317-782-4949.

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