Equipment stolen from local youth football team

Someone broke into a storage locker and stole equipment weeks before a youth football season.

13-year-old Demai Smart is smart enough to know right from wrong. That's why the quarterback of the Chester Township Cougars youth football team was stunned when we told crooks made away with most of his teams' equipment.

"That's sad. We work like super hard for that equipment," he said.

Last week coaches their storage shed in ruins, windows busted and doors kicked in.

Inside they realized even more losses.

"I can't fathom why someone would want to steal trophies from children and children youth football equipment and cheerleading equipment. I have no idea," coach Ronald Twyman said.

It took years of fundraising for these kids to raise all the money to buy this stuff. Now just a month before the Cougars kick off the season they are starting all over again.

"It's all for the kids. So it really was disheartening to find out someone would come up here and destroy the sheds but pretty much destroy the morale of the kids that really use all of this equipment," city councilman William Morgan said.

The losses equal more than $5,000.

"I hope it was worth it.. What joy did you get out of it? I don't understand what the purpose was but we're going to bounce back. Enjoy it cause we're going to bounce back," coach Breon Simms said.

And bouncing back is exactly what Damai Smart and his team is already doing.

"Stay strong we will get more equipment keep playing your hearts out and all that put everything on the line every single game no matter if our equipment got stolen or anything keep playing ya'll hardest."

If you wish to help, please click here.