Man attacks Salvation Army bell ringer, steals cash in red kettle, Washington cops say
A man attacked a Salvation Army bell ringer at a Washington grocery store and fled with the donation money, authorities told multiple news outlets.
The bell ringer was standing at a Fred Meyer in Vancouver when a man assaulted them and grabbed the kettle before 8 p.m. on Dec. 4, KPTV reported.
The bell ringer, a volunteer, sustained minor injuries, the TV news station reported.
Volunteers for the international Christian charity ring bells every holiday season and collect donations in a hanging red kettle container. The raised money goes toward assisting social services for those in need.
Deputies found the man after he ran through traffic while fleeing from the store with the kettle and donation money, The Columbian reported.
He threw the money from the red kettle before he was arrested, the news outlet reported.
Authorities told KATU they later retrieved the tossed money with the help from a police dog. They did not say how much money was found.
The man refused to tell deputies his name so he was booked into the Clark County Sheriff’s Office as “John Doe” on charges including robbery, theft, resisting arrest and obstructing law enforcement, according to the news outlet and the Clark County jail roster.
This story was originally published December 6, 2021 at 1:05 PM with the headline "Man attacks Salvation Army bell ringer, steals cash in red kettle, Washington cops say."
