$20k in equipment stolen from Whitefish sports fields

The nonprofit that maintains Whitefish's baseball and soccer fields is asking residents to keep an eye out for its missing utility golf cart and a plethora of other tools stolen from the complex over the weekend.

The thieves got away with an estimated $20,000 in equipment after breaking into a storage shed at the Smith Fields Athletic Complex, said Gloria Nelson, executive director of Project Whitefish Kids, the group that oversees maintenance of the fields. 

Among the stolen items is a green 2007 Club Car brand Carryall utility cart.

"It's our old but trusty golf cart," Nelson said. "We use it to do everything." 

Also stolen were two air compressors, wrenches, socket sets, rakes and shovels, gas cans and propane. Most frustrating, Nelson said, is that the culprits took the keys to their tractors, irrigation boxes and pad locks. 

"They made it really hard to do our job," Nelson said. 

She said a locksmith was able to re-key the tractor, so some maintenance could take place. 

During the fall sports season, the fields host Whitefish High School soccer matches and youth soccer and baseball games. The park is not affiliated with the city or school district, so all funding for maintenance comes from Project Whitefish Kids. 

"It's devastating that someone would target a kids park," Nelson commented. 

Whitefish Police are investigating and seeking tips or video from surveillance or doorbell cameras in the neighborhood. The crime took place sometime between Saturday and Monday morning. 

One bright note, Nelson said, has been the community's outpouring of support in response to the break-in, with the nonprofit hauling in about $20,000 in donations through Whitefish Community Foundation's Great Fish Challenge as of Thursday. The fundraising campaign ends Friday. 

"It's really amazing to see the community support," she said. "I feel like the community is behind us."