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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Thieves steal kettles, cash from bell ringers

An unknown amount of money and a great deal of holiday cheer were stolen when two Salvation Army kettles were taken from bell ringers outside grocery stores in the Inland Northwest.

A kettle stolen in Post Falls on Tuesday has been recovered, but one stolen in Spokane on Saturday still is missing. No one has been arrested.

The latest and more dramatic heist happened Tuesday afternoon outside the Super 1 Foods, 805 E. Polston Ave., in Post Falls, when a man driving a stolen Hyundai drove by a bell ringer, reached out his window and grabbed the kettle, said Post Falls police Sgt. Gary James. The bell ringer and a store patron reached through the car window, grabbing the driver by the throat, but the driver got away with the kettle, James said.

The driver soon returned the Hyundai about 4:30 p.m. to the used car lot from where it was stolen, Auto Credit Sales, 120 W. Seltice Way. Employees confronted him and eventually captured him, but as police were arriving he broke free.

The thief appeared to have a severely bloody nose either from his confrontation at Super 1 or at the car lot, James said. The man soon was seen at a nearby St. Vincent de Paul thrift store attempting to change clothes. He was confronted by workers and ran from the store wearing only pants and shoes. He fled and dropped the kettle. James said it has been returned to the Salvation Army.

During their investigation, officers found a stolen RV where they believe the thief had been living. It was returned to its owners in Spokane on Tuesday evening, James said. Police believe he fled the area in a black 1992 Jeep Cherokee reported stolen from the White House Grill about 5:45 p.m. The Jeep’s Idaho license plate number is K468250. It has mudflaps and a sticker on the back window that says “Come to the Darkside.” Anyone with information should call Post Falls police at (208) 773-3517, James said.

The other recent kettle theft happened about 4 p.m. Saturday at Rosauers, 2610 E. 29th Ave.

A Salvation Army bell ringer told officers a man approached him and asked if he’d ever been robbed, according to the Salvation Army.

A short time later, someone came up to the bell ringer acting as if he was going to donate, but instead unhooked the kettle and ran off. The bell ringer told police the thief may have been the first man in disguise.

Rhonda Brooks, the Christmas Kettle coordinator, said the thief was wearing a ski mask when he took off with kettle. The bell ringer had been on duty about an hour or two before the incident, which was captured by Rosauers security cameras.

The kettle has not been recovered.

The Salvation Army has collected money at red kettles with bell ringers in Spokane for nearly 125 years, said Dan Curley, the Salvation Army’s development director. It raised about $330,000 during its campaign last year – about $20,000 less than the year before.

Curley said the theft is more disheartening because early indications are that the campaign already was off last year’s lower pace.

“So every dollar that we raise is crucial,” Curley said.

Donations support programs that help the homeless, foster children and low-income families. There are 61 kettle locations in Spokane County this year, Brooks said.

Kettle theft is rare, said Sheila Geraghty, the Salvation Army’s business administrator.

“He must be so desperate,” Geraghty said. “I kind of felt bad for him – a little bit.”