JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Spring practice is underway for the Parker High football team, but they’re without thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment after head coach Mike Holloway said thieves broke into the fieldhouse, rummaged through the football and softball offices, and took anything of value.
Holloway shared a video of the damage on social media, showing busted locks, doors pried open and one door knocked off its hinges.
RELATED: Thieves steal helmets, jerseys, cleats at Parker on first day of spring football practice
Holloway said when he went inside, the place was ransacked. Helmets were gone. Jerseys were taken. Deflated footballs and a blocking sled had been snatched.
“The first thing I noticed missing, all the cleats the Jaguars donated to us last summer. All those are gone. They took every last pair,” Holloway said. “Missing at least 25 helmets. Looks like they just grabbed stuff, even in the training room, a lot of tape is missing. Headsets we call the game with are gone.”
Holloway said that the team’s brand-new 85-inch LG CreateBoard television set, along with another 55-inch TV, were also taken.
Holloway said that the coaching staff will have to inventory everything that’s missing before an estimated loss can be tallied.
“We still got to practice. Some of the coaches had some footballs, so we still got it in, but it’s just frustrating, man,” Holloway said.
News4JAX spoke to people who live in the area.
One woman said she has recently seen an influx of break-ins.
“I think it’s just horrible, because this neighborhood wasn’t like this months ago, like all these stealings that’s been happening in the neighborhood,” she siad. There’s been a lot of porch pirates. There’s been a lot of just unnecessary things going on."
In the meantime, posts on News4JAX’s article and social media are offering help if the team sets up a GoFundMe to replace the stolen equipment.
One user even tagged the Jaguars, Lil Duval and Snoop Dogg, asking for them to help the Braves get back on track.
For those interested in helping the team, the high school has set up an online donation page.
People can also send in monetary donations by sending a check to Terry Parker HS at 7301 Terry Parker Rd. | Attn. : Book keeper.
