INDIANAPOLIS --
A Perry Township fire station was burglarized several times in the past month while firefighters were out responding to calls for service, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported Thursday.
The burglaries highlight not only the building's vulnerability when firefighters are elsewhere, but also the Perry Township Fire Department's funding crisis -- fire officials say the thief or thieves entered through a broken door that the department can't afford to fix.
The fire department has a $3 million shortfall.
"It's either stay in business (and) keep the apparatus going, or fix the door and the fire apparatus has to be put out of service," said Kevin Landrum, a department operations chief.
Before the most recent of the four thefts at the township's fire station No. 1, firefighters left at about 8 a.m. to respond to a call. A thief or thieves entered through the broken door, went through lockers and stole cash, officials said.
With firefighters staying at the station 24 hours at a time, the place is a home away from home. The thefts make them not feel safe, firefighter Brett Gildersleeve said.
"Now you think about where you're laying your stuff," Gildersleeve said. "This is our home a third of the time. It's a little different. You feel a little violated."
Their jobs might not be safe, either. If the department doesn't get an emergency loan from the state by next week, officials will either fire 54 firefighters or lay off 75 with benefits, Rinehart reported.
The department plans to meet with state officials about the funding crisis next week.
