WINNIPEG – A Winnipeg contractor doesn’t know what else to do after $14,000 of tools and materials was stolen from a home he’s renovating in the West End.
Alex Brucks is turning a two-story home on Beverley Street into a duplex for new families coming to Canada.
In six weeks, he’s had five break-ins. The latest one happened Tuesday night.
“I came here yesterday at noon, oh man, I was heartbroken, I was crying,” said Brucks, wiping tears from his eyes.
Winnipeg Police have four separate reports from Brucks and say they are investigating the break-ins.
“Clearly, this home is being targeted,” said Constable Jason Michalyshen.
Brucks says he’s had three generators, four compressors, two nailers, drills, skill saws, and many more tools stolen along with thousands of dollars in materials such as windows, piping, copper fittings and wires.
Thieves have broken in through the front and side doors, which he now bolts shut every night.
They’ve broken though windows in the basement and on the main floor; Brucks keeps screwing pieces of plywood over the windows to keep them out.
After the first break-in on April 29th, he now takes his new tools home or bolts them down like his ladder.
“I have it bolted to the floor, because I’m afraid they’re going to take this ladder,” said Brucks.
In late May, Winnipeg Police arrested three men accused of stealing $144,000 of construction tools and materials from homes under construction.
Brucks said he thought for sure police would call and say they found his tools, but they weren’t there.
Then he was hit again.
He hopes his tools can be found but Rick Doering says they likely won’t end up in Winnipeg pawn shops.
“They’ll sell it on the streets before they bring it to the pawnshop,” said Doering who runs Pawn Traders on Ellice Avenue.
Anyone that pawns items has their name on record and police can then trace who pawned a stolen item, plus Doering says he’ll lose money on stolen products.
He advises people to write down the serial numbers for all their items.
“At least if it does come to the pawn shop they have a 50% chance of getting their stuff back,” said Doering.
After the fifth break-in, Brucks says there’s nothing left in the home to take.
“I don’t know what to do anymore,” said Brucks, “I keep buying new tools and new tools, I’m buying and buying and buying, I’m buying for somebody else.”
Brucks is now installing a security system with cameras in the home.
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