Two Kamloops businesses hit by heartless poppy thefts

Nov 14, 2016 | 2:47 PM

KAMLOOPS — Police are looking into two separate reports last week of a heartless thief taking poppy donation money from local businesses.

Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says both incidents took place last Monday, November 7.

Shelkie says a thief hit the Denny’s restaurant on the North Shore at 9:26 p.m., and a thief hit the Husky gas station on the Tk’emlups Reserve at 9:40 p.m., and police are confirming whether the suspects are the same person.

“Right now, we have the surveillance video from the Husky and we have a description of that person. We are just matching up to see if it is the same suspect that took the poppy money from Denny’s,” stated Shelkie.

“We know that it’s a female wearing a black jacket, with white detailing on it, and a black ball cap, and was carrying a grey purse.”

Poppy donation money goes to the Royal Canadian Legion.

Shelkie says it’s an unfortunate reality that thieves target charity donation containers.

“Every year, there are one or two that happen around this time that’s the poppy money. At Christmas it could be for the Salvation Army. It unfortunately does happen most years, where one or two are taken – but there are a lot of them out there, and most aren’t.”

“The people aren’t taking into consideration the good that this money is doing fot the general community, and they are taking that money from other people who could really use it.”