‘You really stole from the whole community’; Over $5,000 worth of tools stolen from Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Over $5,000 worth of tools were stolen overnight on Monday from Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads.

Volunteers were planning to continue construction on a home in Chesapeake Tuesday, however, when workers got to their building on Tidewater Drive in Norfolk, they discovered the tools they needed were missing from their truck.

“I wish people [would] just respect other people and understand what we do and other nonprofits and what we do for the local community,” said Frank Hruska, Habitat SHR executive director. “And by stealing from us, you really stole from the whole community.”

Hruska said they were gearing up to celebrate former president Jimmy Carter’s 100 ^th birthday at the job site located in Chesapeake.

The nonprofit honors the 39th president because Carter and his wife Rosalynn were heavily involved in helping the organization.

The local branch of the nonprofit is in the process of rebuilding a home for a single mom and her daughter. They were going to honor Carter by having volunteers put up a frame for the future master bedroom for the home on his birthday.

However, their plans came to a halt until they can restock the items they’re missing from the break-in.

“They took a couple of circuit sewers, drills, impact drills, reciprocating sewers and other routers and other building materials that we need on the job site, plus all my batteries,” Hruska said. “We had about 20 to 22 batteries, [but] we only have four now.”

Hruska explained that the break is just a minor setback because they plan to repurchase the tools they need to get the job done.

“We are not going to stop construction,” he said. “The need for affordable housing in Hampton Roads is greater than some tools. We are going to build [Wednesday].”

Hruska added the home’s completion is expected around Christmas time.

If you would like more information on how to help the nonprofit, you can find more information on their website .

Anyone with any information that can help detectives in this case is asked to call the crime line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or use the P3Tips app.

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