The steady sounds of construction in Durham are essential to the city’s growth, but the hum of progress is being interrupted by a troubling trend: thefts from job sites, particularly targeting valuable tools. Durham Habitat for Humanity, which relies on donated funds and volunteer efforts to build affordable housing, is grappling with these losses that both hinder their projects and drain resources.
Adam Lund, the construction director at Durham Habitat, has seen firsthand the frustrating effects of these thefts. “It’s a real shame when you show up in the middle of the day…and you don’t have the tools,” Lund shared. The organization has faced five incidents in recent months, totaling about $20,000 in stolen equipment, forcing them to redirect limited funds to replace essential tools.
“We are doing this with funds donated by our community partners, and it is very disappointing that we have to go and replace these stolen tools,” said Durham Habitat CEO Tiana Joyner. The thefts, often involving break-ins to storage containers, can delay projects by as much as a month, limiting the organization’s ability to provide housing for families in need.
Unfortunately, Habitat is not alone in facing these theft issues. The Durham Police Department (DPD) reports a 32 percent increase in construction site thefts this year, with 202 cases documented so far. No arrests have been made in connection with the Habitat burglaries, further intensifying concerns over site security.
Durham Habitat has experimented with additional security measures, including deadbolts and surveillance cameras, but with limited funds, these efforts have yet to yield significant results. “You have all these people who come to do a good job, and it just affects us every day when something like this happens,” Lund expressed.
The Habitat team remains dedicated to its mission despite these setbacks, though the financial toll is undeniable. Every dollar spent on replacing stolen tools is one less that can go toward building homes. As the organization seeks ways to bolster security and deter further thefts, it calls on the Durham community to help safeguard the work that serves so many in need.
