Day Labor Center Seeks Public's Help After Weekend Burglary

Bay City News Service — The head of the Hayward Day Labor Center is asking for the public's help in replacing valuable items that were stolen in a burglary over the weekend.

Gabriel Hernandez, executive director of the center, said he was notified Sunday morning that the center's office at 680 W. Tennyson Road bad been burglarized. The center connects businesses and homeowners with skilled workers in the East Bay, serving predominantly low-income migrant workers.

Hernandez said staff members who came to the office found that all of their computers were gone, their Hayward Public Library vending machine had been damaged, supplies from their health program were gone and tools had been stolen from their yard maintenance and gardening program.

In addition, equipment and uniforms from the group's soccer program and local high school soccer team were missing, Hernandez said.

Hayward police Lt. Roger Keener said the burglary happened sometime between Friday and 7:30 a.m. Sunday. He said the person who discovered the crime saw a suspect but that person fled before police arrived.

The burglary might have been partially thwarted by an alarm that was activated, as Keener said the suspect or suspects left behind electronics and other items that had been placed in a central location, apparently to make it easier to carry the items away.

Police are examining the items for fingerprints and other evidence.

"I'm really hoping that we're going to get a fingerprint hit," Keener said.

Keener said there is evidence that someone was sleeping in the building over the weekend. There were no signs of forced entry, he said.

Hernandez said insurance will help pay for replacing and repairing some of the items but that the center is asking for the community's help in making up the difference.

"Insurance won't cover everything," Hernandez said.

He said the center also would like to improve its security, as it doesn't have a comprehensive alarm system or security cameras.

Those who want to contribute can send a check to the Hayward Day Labor Center, 680 W. Tennyson Road, Hayward, CA, 94544.