THORNTON, Colo. — A truck belonging to Amazing Grace Community Churchwas reported stolen Monday morning, and church leaders fear without it, its food bank could end.
The truck is a 2007 Ford Econoline box truck with Colorado license plate BMPO66. The church doesn't have a picture, but it looks similar to a white U-Haul truck without the marketing stickers.
"This truck is the difference between us operating and shutting down," food bank administrator Ashley Olvera said.
The truck is mainly used to pick up food and produce from other providers to distribute at the food bank. Without it, a lot of the people the church servers could go hungry.
"It could really be from like hundreds, pretty much. We have lines, people waiting usually that go through the parking lot to get something," Ashley Olvera said.
A spokesperson with Thornton Police Department says detectives are investigating the theft.
If they recover the truck, police said they don't know what condition it will be in, according to Jerimie Olvera, who's a pastor with 180 Community Church helping Amazing Grace while it looks for a new pastor.
"Somebody had told me that you don't get diamonds unless you go through the pressure. So, I said, 'Well, we're going through the pressure,'" Jerimie Olvera said.
In the past week, the church has had to spend thousands of dollars to get a busted pipe in the basement repaired.
"We didn't think it was that big of an issue. But once the plumber got down there, realized it was pretty big, it was the whole piping," Ashley Olvera said.
Within the last few months, someone stole the truck's catalytic converter, which also cost a lot to replace.
They both hope they get lucky this time around.
"If you have the truck, just bring it back and we'll even bless you with a box of food," Jerimie Olvera said.
Thornton police says anyone who spots the truck should call 911 immediately.
