A far-left refugee charity in crime-ravaged Melbourne has been robbed by two thieves who destroyed a safe, stole food and made off two vans worth $100,000.
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in North Fitzroy was targeted at 3.30am on Monday, and its outspoken left-wing activisit CEO Kon Karapanagiotidis said the thieves smashed a roller door to get inside.
Mr Karapanagiotidis wrote on his Instagram account that he believed the burglars “cased” the premises over the long weekend, called the break-in a “coordinated and professional attack on us”, and requested donations.
“Let me tell you why I’m so angry. It’s the safety you’ve stolen from refugees who work here when they asked me ‘will they come back tomorrow?’ This place is meant to be where they’re free from that risk of harm, and you’ve violated that,” he said in a message to the culprits.
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In another post Mr Karapanagiotidis blamed the “concentration of wealth in the hands of the 1%” for the break-in, said he was against longer jail terms for criminals as they “trap people into a pipeline of re-offending”, and called for a “liveable universal income for all” instead.
“My true anger is for those who allow or create such income inequality that people think nothing of robbing a charity,” he said.
Mr Karapanagiotidis told news.com.au that the loss of the two vans affected the organisation’s ability to operate, and said the theft had made his refugee employees “stressed, scared and angry”.
“They’ve fled everything from the Taliban, war, civil war, displacement, torture,” he said.
“They’re often highly skilled people who have just got no relevant work experience and their qualifications aren’t recognised.”
Mr Karapanagiotidis, a strong supporter of mass immigration and multiculturalism, said a similar theft had occurred last year and that he would now need to increase security.
Victoria Police said an investigation into the incident was ongoing.
Header image: Left, Mr Karapanagiotidis. Right, a safe smashed during the break-in (Instagram).
