VOLUNTEERS at the Boneo Lions Club have been left gutted after a custom-made marquee was stolen from the depot behind their opportunity shop in Rosebud.
The theft occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 4 February. CCTV footage showed a single person wearing a dark hoodie riding a motorised scooter as they made off with the 3m by 4.5m marquee, which proudly displayed the club name and logo.
The marquee, bought just over 12 months ago for $2000, was used at the club’s monthly Sunday Community Market on the Rosebud foreshore and at other events.
Club President Terry Cook described the incident as “extremely disappointing that someone would steal from a group completely run by volunteers”.
“We work hard at our opportunity shop and Sunday market to raise money to give back to both local community groups and charities as well as other Lions Australia and Lions International projects.”
The club, based at Ninth Ave in Rosebud, supports a range of initiatives, including a scholarship award for Rosebud Primary School and donations to Portsea Camp, Headspace Rosebud, Vinny’s Kitchen, Jimmy’s Youth Centre, Fight4Focus, and Peninsula Specialist College.
They have also helped drought-stricken farmers, Victoria Police Legacy, and families in Ukraine with portable fuel stoves.
“People stealing from an opportunity shop, they’re stealing from the community,” Cook said.
The theft has left the club struggling to prepare for their next market.
Cook said the marque was quite heavy and about six foot long – leaving volunteers in disbelief how one person made off with it.
“It took three of us to lift it up on to our barbeque trailer and he got it off by himself and carried it down to the gate where he slid it out and put it on his motorised scooter and took off,” he said.
“We were watching it on the security footage and we were just flabbergasted.”
Cook said the club was feeling deflated and without the marquee “it means we’ve got no protection from the elements for our next market, which is on the first Sunday of every month”.
“We’ve got to start again. We’ve had to order a brand new one and it’s going to take a few weeks to get that fundraising money back.
“The money we make from the market we put back into the community – that’s going to have to go to buying a new marquee. You can’t be sour about it forever, so you’ve got to build a bridge and get over it.”
He said the incident was reported to police. Victoria Police confirmed it was investigating the theft.
Anyone with information or CCTV/dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
First published in the Mornington News – 24 February 2026