Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter

It seems not even the poor and needy are spared by thieves these days.

Thieves have reportedly stolen two vehicles belonging to the Jamaica Red Cross in separate incidents less than a month apart.

In the first incident, a van which was being utilised to transport items as part of the agency's hurricane relief operation, was stolen about three weeks ago from the home of the Director General Yvonne Clarke.

The 'meals on wheels' van, the second vehicle to be stolen from the relief agency, was reportedly discovered missing last Thursday from the agency's Kingston and St. Andrew branch at Arnold Road, Kingston 5.

The police have confirmed the robberies and say investigations are already under way.

Contacted yesterday, JRC's Deputy Director General Lois Hue, said the robberies are of great concern to the Red Cross as its operations have become seriously limited.

In explaining, Hue said that alternative methods which put some form of financial strain on the agency have to be used to carry out its normal operations.

Stretching the budget

As it pertains to the meals on wheels vehicle, Hue said: "It's a very very serious concern, our operations are being limited because meals have to be delivered. We have to be stretching the budget to use taxis," she said before noting that the vehicle was used to transport food on weekdays to almost 100 homeless persons.

The loss of the other vehicle has created a difficulty in reaching residents of some remote areas who were being aided to rebuild their homes which were destroyed by Tropical Storm Gustav and Hurricane Dean.

"There is a serious mobility problem as we are still helping to rebuild houses which were destroyed by Dean and Gustav. We don't have funds to buy a back-up vehicle which means we can't get to some remote areas such as some places in Lawrence Tavern and Red hills," Hue explained.