Barberton family wants to be reimbursed for stolen snap benefits; “it’s really not our fault”

BARBERTON, Ohio (WOIO) - A family has been left scrambling after finding out their snap benefits were stolen.

Unfortunately, it’s something that’s been happening more and more in Ohio.

“Why would someone steal someone’s food?,” said Mike Dijak. “That’s how a lot of kids eat.”

It’s a question more and more families have been asking themselves, after finding their snap benefits gone.

For Mike Dijak, it happened back on May 10, while he and his wife were checking out at the grocery store.

“We went through the line and she said you only have six cents and my wife checked it and sure enough they took $193 an hour before,” said Dijak. “Someplace in New York.”

Shocked, Dijak had to put all of his groceries for his three kids back.

Thankfully, his family got the help they needed, but immediately reported the theft to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, hoping to get some of the money back.

That’s when they got more bad news.

“That’s when they said we’ll give them the report,” said Dijak. “The FBI was investigating it. But unfortunately, the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services doesn’t replace stolen or misplaced EBT.”

Just like that, $193 down the drain.

So what can families in these situations do?

We reached to the ODJFS. They told us thanks to a new law, Ohio will reimburse families for stolen benefits starting July 31.

Victims stolen from before that date can also apply to get their benefits back retroactively.

In the meantime, families like Dijak’s will have to wait.

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