Habitat For Humanity of Greater Sacramento is looking for four men who looted the site of a 13-home subdivision.
The organization says the theft — with four men dressed as construction workers caught on video — isn’t the first time the job site has been targeted. The organization is building a 13-home subdivision for single mothers and low-income families.
The video captured the thieves shuttling sheets of siding into two trucks after breaking into the site, CBS Sacramento reported.
“You’re just feeling, what is wrong with humanity that they have to do this?” volunteer crew leader Jim Kurts told the broadcaster.
Kurts and the charity’s CEO, Leah Miller, discovered $6,000 of siding missing on March 9.
“In the past year, we’ve filed over 12 reports to (Sacramento police) for theft or attempted theft,” Miller said.
Miller says windows have been stolen from homes at the far end of the project.
“They’ve lost lumber and building materials, and a truck stolen from a crew member’s driveway was recovered just two weeks ago,” the broadcaster reporter. ” The transmission had been stripped and the catalytic converter was also swiped.”
Overall the organization says about $30,000 has been stolen.
Kurts said a $30,000-loss won’t impact this particular project, but it could postpone the building of future homes.
“We end up having to raise more funds for the next project because we lose on this project,” he said.
“The challenge now is to stay one step ahead of the looters. That means delivering materials only when crews are on-site and not leaving any materials out overnight — even if the gates are locked,” CBS reported.
