Thieves drive off with van charity uses to help homeless

Thieves who stole a van used to provide services to the homeless have been urged to hand it back.

The white Nissan Cabstar (reg: 95-D-18377) is used by the Dublin Simon Community but was stolen from the Chapelizod Industrial Estate between last Saturday evening and early Monday morning.

Despite numerous appeals since, the van has still not been returned.

The vehicle is used to deliver warm clothing to those who access Dublin Simon services.

Yesterday, a spokesman for the organisation admitted that the charity’s work has been hampered by the theft of its only van.

The van — which Dublin Simon has used for 18 years — was spotted on the N4 on Sunday, having been parked in the industrial estate by the charity’s chief executive, Sam McGuinness, following the Dublin Simon Fun Run in nearby Phoenix Park on Saturday evening.

“There’s still no sign,” the spokesman said yesterday, adding that a firm has offered to provide CCTV footage which may cover the industrial estate area from where the vehicle was stolen.

The theft was discovered by the charity’s driver on Monday morning and Dublin Simon is continuing to comb the area for clues as to the van’s possible location.

There are also concerns that whoever stole the van may use Dublin Simon branded items in it — such as hi-vis jackets and collection buckets — to con people out of money by posing as Simon staff.

“We do not have anyone out on the streets outside of events,” said the spokesman.

The van, branded on the sides and back with the Dublin Simon logo, is typically used to collect donations of clothing, tinned food, and other items from donors in Dublin, Kildare, and Wicklow, and then delivers them to services.

With an increase in donations expected in the run-up to Christmas, the timing of the theft has dismayed staff, although one company has offered it the use of vans at the weekends.

Gardaí have been notified of the theft.