'A big loss:' $4,000 in tools stolen from Habitat for Humanity in Kingston, Ont.

Habitat for Humanity is building four new town homes on Rose Abbey Drive in Kingston. (Kimberley Johnson/CTV News Ottawa)

KINGSTON, Ont. -

Habitat for Humanity says they’ve been hit hard after thousands of dollars worth of equipment was stolen from one of their construction sites.

Erin Fletcher, with Habitat for Humanity Kingston-Limestone Region, says about $4,000 worth of tools were stolen in all.

“We’re quite disappointed and frustrated,” says Erin Fletcher. “This is a big setback for us.” 

It happened at their Rose Abbey Drive location, where four new townhomes are being constructed.

Fletcher says staff and volunteers arrived to work on Monday and noticed tools missing from the construction tool trailer they had on site. 

Saws, drills, batteries and chargers, and even first aid supplies were stolen.

“For us, $4,000 is a lot,” says Fletcher. “We run on donations and we run on some grants and a lot of community support. A lot of these tools were purchased through funding from our community and from donors within the Kingston-Limestone region, so that money is lost from our community. That makes it even harder for us.”

CEO Cathy Borowec agrees. 

"The pandemic has hit charities hard, limiting typical fundraising opportunities and the related supply chain issues for construction materials and product have caused incredible cost increases and delays. The last thing we needed was to have the added expense of replacing our tools."

Habitat for Humanity builds homes in partnership with volunteers and people in our community to provide safe and affordable housing to those in need.

Fletcher says pandemic restrictions have slowed construction, and now work needs to be scaled back because they don’t have the tools for a full construction crew.

“It’s a big loss that we can’t have as many people out, or do the work we need to do,” she says. “Due to COVID we’re already a skeleton crew, and it’s hard on us that we’ve been set back again.”

The tools are marked HFHK in black with florescent orange paint on them. If anyone has information relating to the crime, please contact the office of HFHK at 613-548-8763.

In the meantime, Habitat is seeking donations to help their home construction continues with the loss of the tools.