$17,000 worth of equipment gone after thieves break into Habitat for Humanity job site truck

EVANS, Colorado (KCNC) -- Anthony Martinez has waited a long time to move into his new home in Evans, which he helped build with the help of Habitat for Humanity.

"It's been a long haul," he said.

First, the process was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but recently he has been making swift progress on finishing his duplex.

"It's went pretty fast now that we've been accepted and going through it," Martinez said.

So fast that he was hoping to begin March living in his finished home.

"We were this close this month," Anthony said.

Now that's not going to happen because neither he nor Habitat for Humanity, currently have enough tools to finish the job.

Late in the evening on Jan. 28, Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity's job site truck was broken into. They say $17,000 worth of tools were stolen from the site right across the street from Martinez's home.

"To kind of pick on a nonprofit, you know, that is already, you know, experiencing historically high building cost. It is a big hit to our budget," said Cheri Witt-Brown, executive director of Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity.

That means he and others don't have the tools necessary to finish their projects and all move-in dates have been delayed by at least a month.

"Which means families stay in more vulnerable living situations," Witt-Brown said.

"It hurts. I'm not going to lie it hurts," Martinez said.

Martinez is understandably disappointed. After waiting so long to start his home he must now wait to finish it, but he says he has faith that he will be calling this duplex home very soon.

"Habitat will do whatever they have to do to, you know, to come back and get the process rolling again," Martinez said.

Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity says they are accepting donations of tools and money to try to recoup their losses.

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