Just completed Habit for Humanity homes burglarized of all appliances

[Liberal_in_LA]

Habitat for Humanity homes burglarized
Justin Berton, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Habitat for Humanity volunteers spent more than a year building seven homes for disadvantaged families in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood.

In one night, a band of thieves managed to deflate their altruistic spirit.

Workers putting the final touches on homes at Whitney Young Circle and Hudson Avenue arrived one morning last week to find that burglars had looted 17 brand-new refrigerators, ovens and dishwashers, worth a total of more than $10,000.

Erin Colton, Habitat's site manager, has worked on the project since ground was broken in January 2009. "When you come that far and put that much work into these homes and into this community," she said, "it's heartbreaking. Defeating. Demoralizing."

Heartbreaking because the first homeowners are scheduled to move in next week. Defeating because this marks the second time thieves have sacked the site, and demoralizing because it's clear the burglars scouted the location for days, possibly weeks.

"Who steals from Habitat homes?" Colton asked. "If they knew what these homes were for and who they served ..."


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/21/MN4E1D15ED.DTL#ixzz0llVQ3oDA

[Lance_Boyle]

1. 7 homes and 17 fridges/ovens/dishwashers?

Did they drop a "teen" in that first sentence, or what?

[WeDidIt]

2. There would be 21 appliances total

if each home had one fridge, one oven, and one dishwasher.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. probably means each home had fridge and oven, and 3 had dishwashers

7+7+3 = 17

[JVS]

4. I think 17 is the number of appliances stolen (of three types), 7 the number of houses.

7 homes could have 21 fridges ovens and dishwashers without duplication.

[Newest Reality]

5. That is repugnant!

However, it may be a trend as we see the effects of systemic collapse spread its dark tendrils across the land.

Does one expect honor and altruism from thieves? Especially so when the blatant thieves at the top of the corporate and political food chain show none whatsoever? What is so different here? One steals in a rigged game in the name of profit over people and effects, perhaps millions. The other steals for a more limited profit and affects fewer. One legitimizes the actions and plays the system, the other uses stealth and brute force when nobody is looking.

They are one in the same, only differentiated by scope and impact.

[theHandpuppet]

6. Dear Mr. Colton...

You said, "If they knew what these homes were for and who they served ..."

Scumbags like this would dig up their own mothers if there was money to be made.

[bullwinkle428]

7. Countdown to the RW blaming Jimmy Carter for this...

[lib2DaBone]

8. Here, they used hack saws and stole 2 miles of stainless steel railings off the highway bridge...

.. they next night they stole 50 copper cores from the air conditioner compressors on top of a shopping center.

Its only going to get worse as the depression deepens because we have no jobs program or plan to bailout main street.

Jobs are still going to China and CONgress has done NOTHING to help American workers.

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. seriously?

[girl gone mad]

13. yep. n/t

[TwilightGardener]

9. Inside job.

[wroberts189]

12. Yep ...and they had to know a little about plumbing. nt/knr

[tammywammy]

11. That's just awful

Habitat for Humanity is such a good organization. :(