ASHLAND -- State Police in Frackville continue to investigate a burglary. It wasn't a bank, a gas station or a liquor store. In fact, board members with the Ashland Area Softball League couldn't believe someone would steal from their concession stand not once, but three times this season.
Ashland Area League Treasurer Jack Flynn was getting ready for opening weekend back in May, when he walked into the concession stand at Willow Park and noticed the place had been burglarized.
"This cash box was empty," said Flynn. "We had ones and fives and quarters and so forth and they were all gone."
Thinking little of it, Flynn moved on. Until it happened again Thursday night into Friday and then for a third time Friday night into Saturday.
"Who would want to do that to the girls," Morganna Ferrari, the league secretary, asked. "This is all volunteer and there's donations. Whatever the league makes is how we keep funding the stand and keep the place going."
"Just sad," said Taylor Zahodnick, who plays on the 16 and under team for Ashland Area. "We spend a lot of time getting stuff for the concession stand. Now, it's all gone."
"Police came up and said there's no visual damage to the door or the opening window," said Flynn. "So our assumption was there must be a key missing. Either someone found a key, stole a key, lost a key years ago and nobody reported it."
The locks on the concession stand were replaced on Saturday, but league organizers have a message for whoever is responsible for burglarizing them this season.
"You're taking money, you're taking food, you're taking things away from the players and our local community," Flynn added. "Why do you need to do it?"
If you have any information about who could have possibly committed this crime, you're asked to call State Police in Frackville.
League organizers have started a fundraiser to help them recoup their losses, you can donate by clicking here.
