TOWN OF BINGHAMTON, NY – Some cunning thieves have stolen important tools used to provide housing to those in need.

Burglars broke into a Broome County Habitat for Humanity house under construction on Margery Street in the Town of Binghamton sometime between Saturday February 11th and Wednesday February 15th.

The thieves used a crowbar to bust open the door jamb of a basement door in the rear and took tools valued at $4,400.

They even stole a can of coffee belonging to the volunteer workers.

Habitat’s Executive Director Lateisha Judge says the organization has insurance but it comes with a $5,000 deductible so that won’t help.

Judge, who’s in her first week as director, says that after they discovered the theft, her volunteers got to work on projects that didn’t require the stolen tools.

Executive Director Lateisha Judge says, “I have to commend the guys because I was upset on their behalf but the fact that they were willing to keep going, they just said, ‘We’ve got to keep moving forward.’ Who am I to say let’s all sit down and cry? If they’re going to keep moving forward, then I have to keep moving forward.”

Judge says Habitat typically operates on Wednesdays and Saturdays so there’s a 4-day span during which the burglary could have taken place.

She says the sign out front makes it clear that the thieves were stealing from a charity.

Judge says the Broome County Sheriff’s Office is investigating but has no leads.

All of the items were high-quality battery operated tools including a compound miter chop saw, impact drivers, drills and oscillating tools.

Habitat is seeking donations of money or tools to replace them.

You can make donations online at BroomeHabitat.org.

And Judge encourages anyone who may have information about the burglary to contact the Sheriff’s Office.