Thieves Steal Salvation Army Kettles In Contra Costa County

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Two of the Salvation Army's red kettles — and all the money they contained — have been stolen in brazen in brazen daytime thefts in Contra Costa County over the last several days, the charity said Tuesday.

The most recent theft occurred Tuesday, in which two men sprayed an unknown substance in the face of a bell ringer outside a Hobby Lobby store in Concord, according to the Salvation Army. The men took the kettle, containing the money the bell ringer had raised during her shift.

The first theft happened Saturday evening, the charity said, when a man posing as a Salvation Army volunteer tricked a bell ringer into handing over a red kettle outside the Lucky Supermarket in Martinez. The alleged thief made off with $350 to $400.

Police reports were filed in both cases and investigations are ongoing, the Salvation Army said.

“I am shocked by this,” Major Gwyn Jones, a Concord Salvation Army Officer said in a statement. “In my 30 years as a Salvation Army officer responsible for coordinating red kettles, I’ve never had one stolen. Now, we’ve had two kettles taken in just three days.”

The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign is an annual, and highly visible event — the nonprofit says it collects the bulk of its yearly funds during the holiday season.