Thieves steal $14K in camping gear from Benbrook Boy Scouts

A small Boy Scouts troop out of Benbrook is looking for help after thieves stole their trailer with camping gear for a planned trip inside it.

Police eventually found the Scouts' trailer after it was stolen from this storage facility off Benbrook Boulevard. But the entire trailer was wiped clean of all their equipment, leaving the Boy Scouts back at square one.

Troop 519 only started about six years ago. It's a smaller troop with about ten Boy Scouts but has slowly worked to outfit the trailer with gear. 

“Everything we have and we've had has been earned by these boys,” said Scoutmaster David Tijerina. 

But as the boys were gearing up to leave for a weekend fishing trip last Friday morning, troop leaders discovered their trailer had been stolen from a storage facility on 377 and Davidson.

“Made me a little upset,” said Boy Scout Jon Tijerina. “Like why would you steal something from the Boy Scouts?”

Police found the trailer in an RV park on Ohio Garden in Fort Worth on Tuesday. But it was stripped clean inside and out.

Cooking supplies, pots, pans, spoons, scrapers and other items were all missing. The camping gear was valued at $14,000.

“To the gentleman, I'm sure it just didn't mean anything. It was just a quick buck,” said Tijerina. “But to us, the Boys, it was their equipment.”

But other troops and community members have offered to donate their extra gear. A GoFundMe has already raised more than $2,000 so far, putting the boys well on their way to getting back on their feet.

“We're Boy Scouts,” said Tyler Bender. “We're always prepared.”

Police are still investigating but have not made any arrests.

The Scouts have a list of all their missing gear on their GoFundMe page if anyone would like to donate or help out.