A Canberra sports club has been touched by the response of the community, including government, after a brazen and bizarre robbery left members and volunteers devastated.
Last Monday night, thieves broke into the canteen at Waramanga Playing Fields, the home of the Weston Molonglo Football Club. It was discovered during a routine visit to stock up for the weekend on the Tuesday morning prior.
Club volunteers were shocked to find the canteen door had been kicked in, shelves holding non-perishable food and drinks had been emptied, fridges normally full of sausages, hotdogs, bacon and eggs were left bare, and broken locks and cracked eggs were scattered across the floor.
Even a "huge tin of Chupa Chups" was snatched.
A two-way radio system worth $400 was also stolen, as well as storage containers and display shelving, and thieves used a foldable utility buggy and bins inside the canteen to haul away the massive loot, estimated to be worth more than $3000.
"We were just beside ourselves," Weston Molonglo Football Club vice-president, Richard Jalland, said.
"We discovered that they had probably used an angle-grinder to get through the first lock, then used it on the lock on the fridge, and then went through another locked storage room where the radios were.
"They took trays and trays of sausages, and they also got all the chocolates, chips, lollies, juices, Cokes and Fantas, and they filled it up with everything else in one of our foldable beach carts and went off with that too."
Club officials put together a long list of missing stock and concluded that 90 per cent was stolen.
Money earned from the canteen takings usually go towards the club's end-of-season junior presentation day, and in lieu of the income a fundraising page has been set up with a $3000 target.
The club with 1500 players shared news of the incident on their social media channels and has been blown away by the support offered by the community, who are equally angered by the theft.
"People find it outrageous that anyone would rip off a club that looks after the local community," Jalland said as National Volunteer Week kicked off this week.
"The support has been fantastic, but it shouldn't have had to come this."
Jalland said ACT Sport Minister Yvette Berry called him after the robbery, showed sympathy for the club and indicated she would support them "however they can".
Berry did more than just call, though. On Monday she confirmed that the government had made a $3000 contribution directly to the soccer club's fundraising efforts.
"Weston Molonglo FC is an important and valuable part of the sport community in the ACT," Berry said.
"I reached out to the club last week after hearing the heartbreaking news about the break-in and theft from the club canteen.
"The community support and fundraising efforts after the loss is testament to the strength of Weston Molonglo FC.
"Earlier [on Monday] I spoke to the president of the Weston Molonglo Football Club to confirm that the ACT government will contribute $3000 to their fundraising effort. I admire the club's strength and unity during this time and I wish them all the best."
Police were notified of the break-in and robbery after it occurred, however club officials were unimpressed that authorities did not attend until Friday last week.
"Fingerprints were all over the fridge but [police] said they won't do anything," the soccer club's canteen manager, Will, said.
"We need ACT Sports Grounds and the government to upgrade the security and facilities.
"We now don't have a secure place to store all our stock and equipment meaning volunteers have to store everything at home and take it back each week... it's at least an extra five hours of work our volunteers have to do."
ACT Policing are still investigating the canteen robbery and provided a statement on the matter to The Canberra Times.
"Anyone who saw people acting suspiciously at the Waramanga Playing Fields between Sunday night, 10 May 2026, and Tuesday is urged to contact Crime Stoppers via the website www.crimestoppers.com.au, quoting 8383510," a spokesperson said.
