A free, honor-system life jacket cabinet at Spanaway Lake has been open a little over two weeks, and already thieves have nearly cleaned it out, fire officials said.

The program started with 20 jackets on June 27, said Matt Holm, assistant chief of Central Pierce Fire and Rescue.

Four days after the dedication ceremony, thieves had made off with all but two of them, he said.

Fire officials bought 20 more with money donated by a couple whose grandkids had been able to swim because of the program, Holm said. The new jackets were put in the cabinet last Tuesday. By Monday morning all but five were gone.

“The first time it happened we were shocked and disappointed,” Holm said. “The second time we were just plain angry.”

Other parks in Pierce County with similar programs have lost only a few over a whole summer, he said.

Vincent Reppert, 3, was one of the many revelers on the sandy spit Monday afternoon. His aunt, Eva Sturtevant of Spanaway, said she had been watching the empty red kiosk, waiting for someone to return one of the remaining jackets.

“I’m just glad he got one,” she said. “I’ll be able to relax a bit.”

With it on, his uncle Robert helped Vincent learn to float on his back.

“It makes a big difference,” he said. “He was afraid to get in the water when he got here. Now he’s swimming like a fish.”

There is no lifeguard at the beach.

The jackets, ranging from infant to adult sizes, were provided though a joint effort between Central Pierce Fire and the Pierce County chapter of Safe Kids.

Fire officials have no leads as to who took the jackets. Each is clearly marked as property of the fire department.

Holm urged the thieves to return the life jackets to the park and anyone with information to call 253-538-6400.

Ian Demsky: 253-597-8872

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