DETROIT – Police are investigating after a storage container holding thousands of dollars worth of equipment was broken into.
The container belonged to the organization, Legacy Development Foundation. It's an organization, founded by John Perkins in 2015, that provides apprenticeship opportunities for Detroit youth, teaching them skills in construction.
"Our motto is moreso of a mentorship program. We use construction as a hook to get them interested. We also provide a hands-on experience to the youth and the community that's applicable to go into the different programs like carpentry, electrical and things of that nature," Perkins said.
His organization, the Legacy Development Foundation, mentors kids and fixes up homes using donated time and tools.
"It is just to beautify the community that we all grew up in. The ultimate goal is to redevelop this community," Perkins said. "Give back to the community that once gave to us."
However, the organization leaders discovered their storage unit containing nearly $3,000 worth of tools and equipment they use to repair homes, was broken into.
"We had lawn mowers, we had exterior doors building materials, generators, power tools," Perkins said. "To see this happen this morning, it halts a lot of our activities today and made it feel like people are coming and ripping things from underneath us."
The group emptied out the rest of the container for now, and is hoping to find more donated tools to continue working in the neighborhood.
The loss was devastating for Perkins and those he works with, and not just for stealing from him. He said the culprits robbed the entire neighborhood with this action.
"Karma is real and I believe in the man upstairs," Perkins said. "For sure, so you're going to reap what you sow."
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the Detroit Police Department.