Less than two weeks after losing computers and other equipment in a burglary, nonprofit vet clinic Fix Long Beach is back in business, with the help of supporters who donated more than $12,000.
Long Beach police also made an arrest in the case last week, after responding to an alarm at a different business and finding a person who matched the suspect’s description in the break-in at Fix Long Beach.
Immediately after the June 12 burglary at the organization’s Magnolia Avenue storefront, “a lot of our volunteers showed up to help out,” offering to clean up broken glass from the front door and cover it with plywood, said Diana Kliche, CEO of the nonprofit that offers low-cost spay/neuter and other services.
Someone started a GoFundMe to replace the computers, security system and internet equipment that were stolen and to fund other necessary repairs. As of Friday, more than 200 supporters had given $12,359.
“The community’s been so supportive and amazing,” Kliche said. They should be able to replace what was lost or damaged, and a corporate donor has offered to provide new computers, she said.
Three days after the burglary at Fix Long Beach, police responded to an alarm going off at a business in the 800 block of Pacific Coast Highway and saw a man in the parking lot who matched the suspect description in the earlier burglary, according to an email from Long Beach police spokesperson Alyssa Baeza.
Fix Long Beach had surveillance video of a man breaking their glass front door.
Officers arrested the man and booked him into the city jail on suspicion of felony commercial burglary and a probation violation, Baeza’s email said. Police identified him as 34-year-old David Erazo Wilson. Bail was set at $20,000.