SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A crook was captured on surveillance video stealing over $10,000 worth of donated building supplies from a children’s charity in Southwest Miami-Dade.
The burglar was caught breaking into a storage container at Fit Kids of America, a nonprofit organization, off Bird Road and 94th Avenue, Feb. 15.
“It’s very devastating to all of us,” Fit Kids of America Director Isabel Arcia said. “Flooring, tiles, walls, faucets, there was a lot of stuff in there.”
The nonprofit’s focus is to keep children entertained during their 20-year-old after-school program.
“They do their homework, iReady,” Arcia said. “They have exercise or dance that they do. They have a supper before they go home.”
Fit Kids of America took in thousands of dollars in donations from the community to renovate their playground and bathrooms. They kept the construction material locked up in the storage container.
“These were donations given to us by the community, by children, by the families, so we are hurting right now,” Arcia said.
In the video, the subject could be seen checking the container before backing up their car up to it and stealing the items inside.
“We just hope the person, this individual, gets caught,” Arcia said. “We would like to recover all the building material we had.”
Arcia estimates the loss to be between $15,000 to $20,000, which sets the charity back as they continue to try and help children.
“Sad that this has happened to us,” she said. “We were so looking forward to getting this remodel started.”
Arcia added they are back where they started. They are asking for donations to get their project underway.
If you have any information on this theft, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
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