Coronavirus crime: Hayward little league targeted by thieves twice amid shelter-in-place order

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Monday, April 20, 2020
Hayward little league targeted by thieves twice amid shelter-in-place order
Hayward's Treeview Little League was already bummed their 2020 season got postponed due to COVID-19. To make matters worse, their clubhouse was broken into twice within a few days and all of their equipment and snacks were stolen.

HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- An East Bay little league already hurting from a canceled season because of the novel coronavirus, is hit not once, but twice by thieves.

The volunteers and players for the Treeview Little League in South Hayward were already bummed their 2020 season got postponed. Then about a week ago they discovered their clubhouse was broken into and all of their snack bar food was stolen.

To make matters worse, a few days later thieves hit again and this time took all of the league's equipment, including player uniforms. The league has been operating since 1962 and in recent years hurting for funding. ABC7 News even covered a story in 2014 when they were fundraising to stay operational.

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The league's president says this has been a hard blow to take.

"We work really hard for our community and we try really hard to give kids an opportunity to grow and we develop skill sets you only get in a baseball environment- not having an outlet right now, being able to go to the field and not being able to interact with friends, and some of these kids have been playing together fro years," says Maria Hartin-Swart through tears.

"It's very disappointing this has happened."

You can learn more about the little league at their Facebook page here and also find their GoFundMe page here.

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