At the weekend, the Malcam Trust's Belleknowes facility on Maori Rd was burgled.
Acting Senior Sergeant Trevor Thomson, of Dunedin, said the culprits gained access by standing on a rubbish bin and jemmying a window.
They stole $3000 worth of equipment including a virtual reality headset, power tools, car keys and $200 in cash.
Trust chief executive Desiree Williams said the virtual reality system's main computer was "locked away pretty tightly'' and was not stolen.
The headset and computer were useless without each other, so now no-one could use either, she said.
The power tools were primarily used by its young people to make picnic tables, she said.
"So that's a bit distressing, too. Belt sanders and drills, that stuff is quite expensive to replace.''
The burglars also broke all parts of the building that locked, she said.
"We're a little bit concerned they've taken a key to get back in.
"Because we've got a lot of valuable equipment that needs to be replaced, we will be looking at getting a motion-sensor camera system.''
She believed the burglary occurred on Saturday night, as it was reported by the Minecraft Club when members arrived on Sunday morning.
Part of the trust's distress over the incident was because it was there to help people who were struggling, she said.
"Another thing we do is have firewood which we deliver to families. We're giving it away for free, but we get people stealing that.
"The trust is there to help. If people are in need, they could request assistance and we would try to give them support or refer them to people who could help them.''
