Thieves steal $15K in electronics from metro Atlanta youth center

Youth center targeted, crooks steal electronics

Police are investigating after someone broke into a youth center and stole tens of thousands of dollars in electronics. It happened under the cover of night last week on Main Street in Forest Park.

FOREST PARK, Ga. - Forest Park police are looking for the culprits who broke into a youth center and stole thousands in electronics.

Stolen items included gaming consoles, laptops, and camera equipment valued around $15,000, according to the police report.

What we know:

Last Monday, around 2 a.m., someone broke into The Change Center on Main Street in Forest Park. 

Duane Thomas started The Change Center while working as a Forest Park police officer, with the goal of helping kids in the community. 

He said he got a call from the alarm company last Monday morning as he was home with his wife and newborn. 

"I was on my way here, I heard on the radio that there was a back door that was open," Thomas said. "I automatically knew that something had happened."

The backstory:

Thomas said he has worked with about 150 teen boys, many of whom had gotten into trouble.

He couldn't help but take this personally.

"I wanted to know who. I want to know why," he said. "I was definitely very frustrated because I put all my money into this."

Zamarion Bolton is one of the teens he's helped.

He first met him while he was handcuffed in the back of his patrol car.

"When I was [committing crimes], I didn't care. I was doing stupid things. But now I care," Bolton said.

He said without the Change Center, he doubted he'd still be here today.

What you can do:

Thomas is raising money online to replace the stolen electronics and keep the center running through a GoFundMe. 

Despite the setback, he remains committed to his mission.

"Even with this stain, it's not going to stop me, because it's not about a building," Thomas said. "At the end of the day, this is more than a building. This is a purpose.

He said he had just left the police force to run for local office and focus more on the work with the kids.

Thomas has asked anyone with information about the break-in to contact Forest Park police.