Specialized sports equipment stolen from nonprofit that helps people with disabilities in Franklin Park

FRANKLIN PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Franklin Park police are searching for whoever stole tens of thousands of dollars' worth of specialized sporting equipment from a group that helps people with disabilities, including military veterans.

Don Godshaw and his team at Adaptive Adventures arrived to work on their lot in Franklin Park Thursday morning to prepare for a pre-planned trip.

"They came down to get gear out of trailers and found locks on the ground," Godshaw said.

The nonprofit's collection of four small trailers in the back corner of an industrial lot had been broken into and ravaged overnight.

The thieves made off with tens of thousands of dollars' worth of adventure sports equipment - snowboards, monoskis, handcycles - all specifically designed to accommodate people with physical disabilities.

"To take that stuff that really has very little value to be fenced, it really kind of hurts because it's a small nonprofit," Godshaw said.

Adaptive Adventures works with thousands of people with disabilities every year; 55 percent of them are veterans. They said what was stolen in the overnight raid gives their clients a joy they can't get easily.

"When we get our people riding our bikes with their kids and family, they're doing a family activity that maybe when they got hurt in service, they never thought they'd do again," said Godshaw.

While police investigate who broke into the trailers and left them almost empty, the organization is hoping they can fundraise enough money to replace their equipment.