A charity in Moncton, N.B., says one if its buses, which transports high-risk, vulnerable children, was damaged sometime Wednesday night.
In an email to CTV News, the executive director of Moncton Headstart said thieves cut the catalytic converter out of one of its buses, rendering it inoperable.
"Our driver thought the bus was going to blow up when she started it this morning at 7:30 a.m.," says Caroline Donelle. "When she looked underneath, she saw that the converter had been cut out clean."
Moncton Headstart is a registered charity that provides early family intervention and support services to help high-risk children and their families. It has several programs, including a pre-school that helps children in need.
Donelle says the school has two buses-- one that is new and an older bus that requires frequent repairs. The newer bus was targeted.
Donelle says the buses are used to transport vulnerable children between the ages of two and four to and from the centre. For many, she says, the buses are their only form of transportation.
"We are all deeply saddened by this act of random sabotage and we want the perpetrators caught," Donelle says. "This creates a real hardship for us here at Moncton Headstart who have been helping families and children in need for almost 50 years."
According to Donelle, police are involved. CTV News did reach out to police but has not heard back at this time.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Codiac RCMP.
