Thieves steal costly plywood from homes under construction in Winter Haven

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Police are investigating after thousands of dollars in plywood were stolen from a Winter Haven construction site.

Detectives say the thief, or thieves, targeted two side-by-side homes under construction on Lake Smart Circle around 2 a.m. on June 9.

"They probably did not realize there was a camera," Winter Haven Police spokesperson Jamie Brown told FOX 13.

Surveillance video shows a silver or gray Chevy Caravan leaving the subdivision. Investigators believe the culprit or culprits came back several times to get more wood because a vehicle the size of a Caravan could not have carried the amount of plywood that was stolen.

Pictured: Chevy Caravan seen at the entrance to the construction site the night the lumber was stolen. 

The loss of lumber is a $6,500 hit to the builder, Richmond American Homes out of Orlando. The Polk Builders and Contractors Association says any loss of materials is a big deal right now.

"Materials are scarce," said Zach Diaz, of Diaz Homes of Central Florida, who also heads the association. "You don’t just call and get material back the next day. You have to wait your turn in the line."

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