Bell-ringer robbed in Maumee

MAUMEE - Police are looking for the person who stole a Salvation Army tripod and kettle – filled with hundreds of dollars in donations -- from a grocery store Saturday afternoon.

At about 6:30 p.m., a man walked in to The Andersons General Store on Illinois Avenue. While a volunteer was talking to a donor, he grabbed the equipment and ran to a stolen Ford pick-up truck.

“As he was running out, he was upset and he yelled at her that he hated Christmas and he through our tripod and the bucket into his truck and sped off,” Capt. Steve Lopes of the Salvation Army said.

Four hours later, Toledo police recovered the truck, which had been stolen the night before, unoccupied –in the area of Dorr and Richards four hours later. The next day, citizens called police after finding the tripod in the 900 block of South Reynolds, and the kettle in the 500 block of Meyers Street.

The kettle – presumed to contain upwards of $600 – was empty. Lopes explained the amount of money inside is a testament to the giving nature of customers at The Andersons.

“The people who shop here are very generous to the Salvation Army and it’s one of our premier – if I can use that term – sites in this area,” Lopes said.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 40s, between 5’2” and 5”4, weighing 200-240 pounds, with has a scruffy moustache and beard. He was wearing a green hat, green shirt, grey hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans at the time of the robbery.

The police are asking anyone with information about the suspect to call 9-1-1.

The bell-ringer suffered a minor cut to her finger while trying to stop the robbery. She is expected to be back to volunteering after a day off.

There was no bell-ringer at The Andersons Sunday, but Lopes said a new kettle will be out Monday.