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Thefts Hurt The Visually Impaired

WILLIAMSPORT — The head of a company that helps visually impaired people says he is fed up with money getting stolen from his organization. North Central ...
vending machine thefts

WILLIAMSPORT -- The head of a company that helps visually impaired people says he is fed up with money getting stolen from his organization.

North Central Sight Services in Williamsport owns dozens of vending machines at rest stops along Interstate 80, and last week some of those machines were burglarized.

Even with added security at those vending machines in Montour County, they were broken into twice last week.

In addition to those thefts, money was stolen from other vending machines owned by North Central Sight Services late last month.

The damages and thefts cost the organization thousands of dollars.

"Out of order" signs are on these vending machines at a rest stop along Interstate 80 near Danville.

State police say last week the machines were vandalized and burglarized.

The vending machines belong to North Central Sight Services in Williamsport.

"In the last couple of months we have seen a proliferation of this activity and it's been a problem," said North Central Sight Services CEO Bob Garrett.

Garrett says the nonprofit owns about 40 vending machines.

Surveillance pictures taken last month show someone breaking into one of the vending machines at a rest stop along Interstate 80 in Columbia County.

Garrett says the vending machines are covered by insurance, but there's a high deductible. Between that and the missing money, North Central Sight Services is out over $1,000 in this most recent case of theft.

Garrett says the vending machines bring in around $200,000 each year. The money goes toward helping people stay independent in their homes and educating people about ways to keep their eyes healthy.

"Both of those programs are supplemented, in part, by the revenue that's received by our vending operation, but also the main thrust is to create work opportunities for people who are blind."

"It kind of hits you very hard, as me receiving the services and knowing where that money goes. It's helpful to people like me that have a visual problem," said Steve Britton, one of 29 visually impaired employees at North Central Sight Services. He also uses its programs.

"When needed I get rides to medical appointments, sometimes to a grocery store, sometimes even to downtown to do shopping."

North Central Sight Services says it is looking at ways to deal with the thefts from the vending machines but would not say what those methods are.

State police would not say if they have any suspects.

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