By GEORGE GRAHAM

ggraham@repub.com



SPRINGFIELD - Thieves, trashing a Habit for Humanity home under construction in the East Forest Park neighborhood, didn't get the kitchen sink but they made away with just about everything else.



Items stolen from 75 Pomona St. include a toilet that was ripped out of an upstairs bathroom and spirited out a side window.



"The place is a mess," Jennifer E. Schimmel, executive director of the Greater Springfield Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.



Schimmel said the break was discovered Wednesday morning. Entry was gained through a basement window and the bulkhead door was opened, presumably to let in one or more accomplices, she said.



Other missing items include a bathroom vanity sink, bathroom mirror, light fixtures and a ventilation hood from the stove.



Habitat personnel are still tallying the stolen items, Schimmel said. Stolen items and damage repair are expected to amount to several thousand dollars, she said.



"We are still finding bits and pieces of things," Schimmel said.



Volunteer laborers were about six weeks from completing the home. It's not clear, Schimmel said, how much the theft and damage will set back the project timeline.



This particular project, one of four ongoing projects for the chapter, is sponsored by a group of 10 different churches that have raised money for it.



Schimmel, executive director since 2007, said such theft and vandalism has not been a problem for the chapter.



"In comparison to some of the other neighborhood we work in, it really isn't a bad neighborhood so it's a bit of a shock to the system," Schimmel said.



Kevin M. Sears, broker owner at Sears Real Estate, said he has not heard of spike in the theft of items from homes under construction.



"It occurs every now and then," Sears said, adding that his business has given financial assistance to this particular project.



"It's just a slap in the face for them to have this type of setback," Sears said.



Schimmel said the chapter is seeking the public's help in getting the project back on track.



Donations may be sent to Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, 104 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089.



