Tools stolen from Korean War vet's shop

An 80-year-old Korean War veteran who’s still at work remodeling homes was hit hard Aug. 27 when burglars stole about $8,225 worth of tools from his shop.

Al Fernandez says he’s depressed and disgusted and can’t sleep at night because of the theft.

“They stripped me of my life savings,” he said. “My tools were my retirement.”

Fernandez has been in construction since 1958. He fought in Korea from Pusan to the Manchurian border and was wounded twice.

“I consider myself a good citizen,” he said, adding that he was disgusted by what happened to him and wanted to warn others.

First, be careful about who you invite to your home, Fernandez says. Don’t take strangers home, even if they work for you, because they might scope out the place for a burglary.

Second, mark your tools with some sort of unique identification. If they’re stolen and taken to a pawn shop, you might be able to claim them that way.

Third, check out your insurance policy. Self-employed people who keep work tools at home, such as building contractors or vehicle mechanics, might not be adequately covered by their regular homeowner’s insurance.

Fernandez says he’ll get about 10 percent of the value of the lost tools from his insurance company. The thieves took a chop saw, router bits, battery-powered tools, a drill press, nail guns, a level transit, a paint-sprayer, a dry-wall nail gun, an impact wrench and a power planer, among other things.

“Some of those tools I had just bought,” he said.

Fernandez came to the Flathead from California in 1999. His wife’s daughter lived here at the time. He mostly remodels bathrooms and kitchens. His home and shop are on Berne Road near RBM Lumber.

He said the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft, and he hopes pawn shop owners will be alert to anyone suddenly showing up with a lot of contractor’s tools. If anyone has information about his missing tools, they can call Fernandez at 314-5833 or 892-0799.