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Footage shows heartless NYC thieves steal bulletproof vests meant to go to Ukrainian fighters

CCTV footage shows hoodie-wearing thieves stealing bulletproof vests that were donated to be sent to Ukraine amid the ongoing invasion of the country by Putin

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A CCTV surveillance shows how a group of hoodie-wearing thieves stole bulletproof vests that were meant for Ukraine. The group loaded cardboard boxes into a black and a white van and drove off.

These vans pulled up to the East Village building where the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Ukrainian National Women's League of America are situated. This was captured and shared in the video that was shot on Tuesday, March 15.

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Around 10 pm, men covered in face masks and hoodies got off the white van and were walking to and fro with the boxes. One box was so heavy that two men were needed to lift it. The group took the boxes to the building at 203 Second Avenue. Passerbys looked at what was happening as they walked down the block, but no one gave a second glance to the thieves. 

Around an hour later, another van pulled up to steal another shipment of the boxes. These bulletproof vests had been stored in a hallway of the building. These were purchased via money collected from donations as aid amid the Ukraine invasion. 

The robbery was discovered the following morning on Wednesday. Reportedly, 400 vests were stolen as per the NYPD. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office had donated used vests to help the Ukrainian groups. However, it wasn’t clear whether those were the vests taken. 

On Twitter, a user said, "Once the culprits are caught, send them to Ukraine's battlefield wearing the bulletproof vest. It will be an unforgettable experience and they will never steal again."

Another said, "It's incredible how so out of control everything is in this city now. And due to the advancement and progress of technology ... this can't even compare to the darkness of the 1970s. I hope that mayor Adams implementations are successful. This has gotten MORE THAN UGLY."

This user said, "Sounds like a inside job to me!"