BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A Birmingham nonprofit renovating abandoned tennis courts at Fountain Heights Park says a skid steer worth about $60,000 was stolen from the job site, slowing work on the organization’s first major park project.
Athletic Alabama said the machine, a 2019 Kubota skid steer, had been borrowed from a family friend and was being used to dig a trench for water retention when it disappeared from the park near the recreation center. The nonprofit said the equipment was gone by the time workers returned the next morning.
The group shared surveillance video and posted a $1,000 reward for information leading to the skid steer’s recovery. Athletic Alabama also asked nearby residents and businesses to check doorbell or traffic-camera footage that might help identify who took it.
Miller, representative of the nonprofit, said the theft could leave the group with a major financial loss if the equipment is not recovered. The station also reported that Birmingham police had been contacted about the theft.
Athletic Alabama said it has been raising money for about two years to transform the tennis courts into a multi-use space for the community, with plans for youth sports and other programs. Despite the setback, the group said it still hoped to finish the first court in the coming weeks.