“It’s literally robbing kids,” said TJ Valtierra, a basketball coach at the Little Earth Residents Association.

The staff at LERA learned about the broken vans last week when one of the drivers noticed it was making a loud noise and couldn’t get the van to go faster than 20 miles per hour.

Vans vandalized at south Minneapolis nonprofit that helps school children

Upon further inspection, Executive Director Jessica Rousseau said both of their vans are missing catalytic converters and several feet of piping.

“This is the worse timing ever. It was just shocking,” she said.

This time of year, the nonprofit helps bring kids and adults to stores to get gifts for their families. They also use the vehicles regularly for sporting events and other activities, in addition to getting older residents to and from medical appointments.

“It’s affecting them. You’re taking from someone who is utilizing our services the way they should be utilized,” she said

The theft at LERA appears to be the latest in a series of crimes targeting catalytic converters. Two weeks ago, 5 EYEWINTESS NEWS reported on the setback faced by We WIN Institute less than two miles away from LERA, which also had catalytic converters cut out of their vans.

St. Paul Police seeing spike in catalytic converter thefts

Police believe the rising cost of metal may be motivating the thieves.

Rousseau said in their case, they are waiting for a repair estimate on the vans but they’re afraid the cost to fix the vehicles may be more than they are actually worth.

LERA started a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of the repair.