BOISE, Idaho — Boise Police and Life's Kitchen are asking people to be on the lookout for a trailer and other items stolen from the Boise-based nonprofit earlier this month.
Life's Kitchen is located along West Fairview Avenue between Milwaukee Street and Maple Grove Road, in the former Marie Callender's restaurant location. According to a Facebook update posted Tuesday, June 7, Life's Kitchen's Hot Tots trailer and equipment were stolen from its property "sometime overnight on June 1," according to the post.
"We used [the Hot Tots trailer] the first time this year at Idaho Gives," Life's Kitchen Executive Director, Tammy Johnson said. "We parked it out back like it has been for a year and a half. The last week or two we looked out, and it was gone."
Along with the trailer, other stolen items include a 36-pound outdoor Blackstone griddle, three black folding tables, an R&V Cajun Fryer with stand, a 55-pound grease bucket and three propane tanks.
Life's Kitchen said a couple donated the trailer and related equipment in 2018 to provide additional training opportunities. The organization, founded in 2003, provides educational resources and training in food service and life skills to young adults with barriers to employment. Life's Kitchen and its trainees run a catering service and café at the Fairview location.
The recent theft has saddened Life's Kitchen staff and those who've gone through the program.
"It's kind of, like, disrespectful, because this whole program is about giving back to the youth," Life's Kitchen graduate and lead line cook, Darion Ontiveros said. "It's kinda, like, messed up in a way."
The Boise Police Department is investigating this as a case of grand theft. According to BPD, the stolen trailer is a black utility trailer with Idaho license plate 4697TL, and was stolen from the Life's Kitchen parking lot between 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 1, and the morning of Thursday, June 2.
The trailer's license plate has been entered into a national database, and BPD will be notified if it is located somewhere else.
"We've had a couple of community members reach out. We've had another organization reach out - a corporation to maybe apply for a grant. In that respect, the kindness of this community always shines through," Johnson said. "We will do something. We're just not sure what that action plan is yet."
Anyone who has information about the theft or has located the stolen items is asked to contact Boise Police through Ada County Dispatch at 208-377-6790 or leave a tip with Crime Stoppers at 208-343-COPS (208-343-2677), the Crime Stoppers website, or by using the P3 Tips mobile app.
Trailer, equipment stolen from Life's Kitchen
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