Formerly homeless man on Detroit Rescue Mission robbery: 'It's appalling'

DETROIT (WJBK) - They give to those in need, but were ripped off by those who don't care.

A group of petty thieves stole scores of lawnmowers and landscaping equipment from the Detroit Rescue Mission in Midtown around 2 a.m. Wednesday. The organization says this is the second time they've been robbed in about a year.

Chad Audi says the culprits backed up with a truck, knocked down the gate, and two men pulled the gate and leveled it to the ground. He says after the first time someone stole their equipment, the mission was able to replenish some of it thanks to the public's generosity.

The last robbery cost the mission about $90,000, and this time it was about $25,000. The property damage amounted to another $5,000.

"It is not only that we take this truck to take care of all the sites where we cut the grass, where we house 2,000 people living in our facilities, but also it's a training program for people coming out of prison and for people who are homeless and are trying to get a second chance," Audi said. "This is what's heartbreaking because if they really need help all they have to do is come and tell us I need help. If they need food, we'll give them food. If they need house we'll give them house, if they have drug or alcohol addiction, we're willing to help them."

The suspects were in no rush to get out of there. They spent about 20 minutes breaking down the gate, which has since been replaced, hot wiring the pickup truck and figuring out how they would back the trailer out of this lot. It's enough to tick off anyone with a conscience, but especially those who got a hand up from the rescue mission.

"I was homeless. I mean seriously homeless, didn't have anything and these people, man I swear to God," said Richard Euseary. 

He said they found him housing, bought his furniture, paid his first month's rent, then got him social security in order to keep paying his rent.

"It's appalling. It's not right and whatever they got they should bring it back," he said.

After clearing out the trailer, the robbers left it and the pickup truck at Mack and Beaubien.

"You hurt other people probably in the same situation that you're in," Audi said.

The rescue mission may not be able to file an insurance claim because its deductible is about $30,000. Police say it was a group of about for or five men and one of their vehicles was a Dodge Ram pick-up truck. Anyone with information is asked to call Detroit police.