Two purses containing cash, debit cards and other valuables were stolen from vehicles parked outside the Riverhead Animal Shelter on Youngs Avenue this morning.
A debit card in one of the purses was used at the Empire Gas Station on Route 58 about a half-hour after the incident, NFAWL executive director Gillian Pultz said.
Riverhead Police Detective Sgt. Edward Frost confirmed the account of the crime provided by the shelter and said detectives are investigating.
“It’s just appalling that someone would do this,” Pultz said.
One of the purses belongs to an employee and another to a shelter volunteer.
The North Fork Animal Welfare League in a statement issued this afternoon said a woman entered the grounds of the shelter at about 10:15 a.m. today and took the purses from two vehicles parked there. The purses were found about a half-hour later on the grounds of the Oakland Ridge mobile home park at 1795 Osborn Avenue, a short distance south of Youngs Avenue, NFAWL said.
“We have never had an incident of this type before,” Pultz said.
“To ensure the safety and security of our animals, our employees, and our volunteers, we will have a state-of-the-art video camera system installed as quickly as possible,” she said.
“We ask that anyone who might know who did this to please contact the authorities,” Pultz said.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Riverhead Police Detective Division at 631 727-4500 ext. 318.
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