This article was contributed by J.R. Burns with the American Red Cross.Â
In a report filed with local law enforcement, the American Red Cross indicated that a disaster-response trailer was stolen from its Santa Cruz facility after that office closed on Monday night, March 19. A Central Coast Chapter representative said the 16-foot trailer was taken from the storage area behind the Red Cross office at 2960 Soquel Ave. in Santa Cruz.
The disaster-response trailer was purchased to serve the tri-county area of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties during emergencies.
The trailer was stocked with cots, blankets, and other supplies the Red Cross uses when establishing emergency shelter sites, said Patsy Gasca, the local Red Cross disaster program manager. She estimated the value of the trailer and its contents at between $10,000 and $15,000.
At the time of its theft, the trailer was easily identifiable as a Red Cross vehicle because it displayed the organization’s name and logo, Gasca said. She said it also had the “No. 6” stenciled on it. She said a hitch lock, which had been in place on the trailer, was believed to have been broken during the crime.
Anyone with information about the trailer’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact any law enforcement agency.