ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Stealing a few pairs of secondhand pants is one thing, but stealing thousands in cash earmarked for homeless New Mexico pets is another. 

“Unfortunately, Animal Humane New Mexico has had a tough week,” said Madison Beets, associate director of Marketing with Animal Humane New Mexico. 

The nonprofit believes a pair of thieves hit its thrift store three separate times this week and were successful twice.

They took $4,000 worth of jewelry from a case in the store Monday. They reportedly attempted an after hours break-in Monday night, but couldn’t break the front window.

They came back Wednesday night, where surveillance video shows one person crawling through the front window and around the store’s counter. 

A second video shows them in the store’s office, stealing a safe and cash. 

“We are looking at upwards of $12,000 of damages and misplaced property in total. So that’s a big hit for a nonprofit animal shelter organization like Animal Humane New Mexico,” said Beets. 

Most of the profit from the thrift store goes back to the nonprofit’s mission of helping homeless and community pets. 

“That is thousands of pet meals, medications, surgeries, things that they need to become prepared to find those loving forever homes,” Beets said. “We have a community pet food pantry, many vital resources that are intake, intervention services that our funds directly go to support. So not only are you taking away from the homeless pets of New Mexico, you’re also taking away from our community of loving pet owners too.”

Animal Humane is already adding outdoor cameras, and the security company for its shopping center is offering more nightly patrols, free of charge. 

“We want to always look forward to the future and focus on the good while doing what we can to prevent the bad,” said Beets.

The thrift shop is accepting monetary and physical donations, or you can donate online here.