Autism Non-Profit Repeatedly Hit By Thieves Asks Community For Help With Door Monitoring, Security
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A Sacramento non-profit store that highlights works of art made by young people on the autism spectrum, is being hit repeatedly by thieves. Now, there's a call to action to protect the store.
Vanessa Bieker is the founder of The Fly Brave Emporium. It's where she and her son John Almeda spend a lot of their time providing resources to people with developmental disabilities.
But since September, Vanessa says she's been dealing with aggressive squatters that she's even caught stealing from her non-profit store.
"He threw a bottle and got very aggressive," she described.
She says a woman eve swung at her after she told them to leave on Friday which led to a fistfight outside.
"I felt they have been intimidating us for weeks and I needed to take a stand. John and the clients had to watch me fistfight in the parking lot to defend him and his friends and protect our business," she explained.
Sacramento police say officers detained two suspects who were served with notices that stated if they step foot near the store, they would be arrested for trespassing.
We asked the police what else is being done to keep the store safe. They say patrols in the area have been increased. Still, Vanessa is calling for volunteers to help inside the store with door monitoring and with security.
Mary Kay Bowser hopes the community steps up.
"It's worth every ounce of your energy," she said.
"Enough is enough and we are taking a stand and we are taking our shop back and we are taking our neighborhood back. We are asking our community to stand with us and these beautiful clients that we serve and help us protect this corner," she said.