TORONTO Men's Shed is boosting security at its storage annexe in Brighton Avenue after a break-in and robbery.
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Thieves jemmied open the large doors of the facility to gain access.
They stole two 3 metre by 3 metre Oztrail brand gazebos valued at about $500, a large Esky and a handful of food and stationery items.
As far as robberies go, it wasn't a big one. But when the victims are a group of charitable local blokes who work to do good for their community, it's galling.
Toronto Men's Shed president Terry Woolard has mixed feelings about the robbery.
"My first thought was 'Bloody hell, not again!"' he said, referring to the break-in and damage caused to the group's shed at Awaba several years ago.
But he knows this break-in at the storage annexe could have been much worse.
"I'm just grateful they didn't set fire to the joint," he said.
The stolen blue gazebos are used when the group hosts fund-raising barbecues around town, and were last used outside Rathmines Community Hall earlier this month when the men did the catering for the 2015 Annual Bird Exhibition.
The storage annexe, the former Toronto fire station, includes a kitchen.
It's where the Men's Shed group stores the food, drinks and utensils for its barbecues.
"They [the thieves] opened every draw and door that they could," Mr Woolard said.
"They even opened the freezer and left packets of bacon out on the bench."
Mr Woolard suspects the offenders were disturbed during the incident and left in a hurry.
"They'd got a couple of Eskies and packed them full of drinks but left them. And the wheelbarrow in the backyard was filled with drinks, but left tipped over on its side," he said.
Police forensic officers collected personal items left at the scene by the offenders.
And neighbours have given police a description of a suspicious vehicle parked in Cooke Street.
Group members have since set about adding a range of security measures to the building.
Mr Woolard said the building is leased from Anglican Care.