HIGHLANDS — A copper wiring theft at Kaminski Park in Highlands left the baseball fields without lights and forced Highlands Little League to cancel night games. The wiring tied to the field lights was taken after someone broke into the property shortly after Mother's Day.

Highlands Little League President Austin Moore received a call about the break-in and filed a report with the Harris County Precinct 3 Constable's Office. A nearby resident reported seeing someone riding a four-wheeler near the park the day before the theft. The park's surveillance system did not capture the suspect, and there is no suspect description.

Moore contrasted the value of the stolen material with the cost of the damage left behind. "For someone to come out here and make 30 or 40 bucks off the copper wire they took, causing us tens of thousands of dollars in damages, you really have to be kind of a lowlife to do that," he said.

"When you see something like this, your heart just kind of sinks, your stomach just drops," Moore said. He added that when he arrived to assess the damage, the equipment was still hot. "Everything was still hot. I'm surprised we didn't find them laying on the ground here," he said.

Sunbelt Rentals in Crosby loaned the league temporary lights for the remaining games last week, allowing play to continue while the league works through the loss. Moore has served as league president for eight years and grew up playing on the fields at Kaminski Park. "Even though we're having trouble, those kids have no idea. We're still willing to make it work for them," he said.