SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A girls softball league in Mira Mesa is reeling after thieves broke into their equipment room, stealing thousands of dollars worth of equipment days before a tournament.
The Mira Mesa Girls Softball League discovered on Monday that their equipment room at Hour Glass Community Park had been broken into. League Vice President Bri Page says two generators used to power the snack bar and ball machine were taken, along with two industrial canopies and a box of hand tools.
"$4,500 dollars, financially devastating for us," Page said.
The small league had spent years raising money for the equipment, and Page worries the theft may force them to raise registration costs.
"I remember being a kid and not being able to play sports because my family couldn't afford it. Knowing we may not be able to continue to lower costs in our upcoming season, and it may not longer be as accessible as we've tried to make it, it feels personal to me," Page said. “It frustrating, and it’s hard not to get angry."
For the young athletes, the theft has been difficult to understand.
“Here, I feel like I belong. It feels like home. This just feels wrong. It’s not fair to us," player Abigail Weiland, 12.
The incident comes just two weeks after a similar theft at nearby Mira Mesa Community Park, where someone went into the equipment room for the Mira Mesa Little League and stole a $3,000 ball machine.
"Whether it's a single person or group of people, to be targeting youth sports across our neighborhoods, that's very disturbing," Page said.
Despite the setback, the community has rallied around the team. In the past few days, parents have been scrambling to gather items for the Friday night tournament, including canopies and generators.
"They rallied together and are showing up as a community, and that's beautiful to see," Page said.
San Diego Police have not yet confirmed whether the two thefts are linked.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the girls softball league replace the equipment. There is a link on our homepage at 10News.com.
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