While a group of volunteer heroes was out in the woods , thieves were also at work behind them.

"Yesterday, our members were heavily involved with the search for the missing seven-year-old in Chilliwack. Unfortunately, while assisting with the extraction of the girl, our members had their gear stolen from the scene," Coquitlam Search and Rescue wrote on social media on May 3.

They, along with Chilliwack Search and Rescue, Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue, and others all helped locate Lily Coursol on Friday, May 2 who went missing the day before in the Chilliwack River Valley area.

"The majority of our member's gear is self-funded and will need to be replaced to be operational on future tasks; this keeps everyone safe. This gear will cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace."

A GoFundMe page was set up to assist them to replace the stolen gear. It is estimated that each bag contained between $4,000 and $5,000 worth of gear.

"This is not what our community stands for," wrote Amber Price of Chilliwack, who started the fundraiser. "Let鈥檚 come together to show our gratitude and support. We鈥檙e raising funds to replace their missing items and treat them to a well-deserved dinner as a small thank you for their incredible, selfless efforts."

As of 11 a.m. Saturday (May 3) $3,850 had been raised.

To donate to the cause, go to .