A note sent to the newsrooms says that “the Refood Foz van has already been located by the police and is already in a 'safe haven'”, thanking the institution and “all those who for days have been contacting the police and Refood”, which allowed the location and recovery of the vehicle.

In the early hours of 7 August, the facilities of the Refood Foz do Douro Centre were robbed and vandalised, with the assailants taking food and the van.

Speaking to the Lusa agency that day, the deputy coordinator of the Refood Foz do Douro Nucleus explained that the facilities, provided by the local parish council, had been the target of a robbery, adding that the assailants took food and the van used by institution, which had been donated, and which was causing the most “concern” at that time.

Sofia Reis said that the assailants "entered the operations centre, ate lots of yogurts and crackers and vandalised the space".

Refood is a voluntary movement with several centres around the country, which works to eliminate food waste, with the collection of meals and their subsequent distribution to beneficiaries.