The Salvation Army Houston Northwest is hoping to give 1,700 kids Christmas presents this year, but staff says a real life grinch broke through the glass door and burglarized the place. Now, the organization that’s built on the gift of giving is in dire need of help itself.
“I think, unfortunately, it’s someone who had come here for help before. He seemed familiar with the layout,” one said.
The man seen on surveillance video breaking his way in around 1:30 a.m. Friday did not come to deck the halls. Instead, Core Officer, Captain Nick Hutchinson says he came to clean them out.
“Immediately, came into this room and worked their way into our teen lounge,” Hutchinson said. “He dumped out one of these bags of plush animals that are donated for our Christmas program, and then he was filling it with other items.”
Those items are said to include a laptop, an iPhone, a video game system, video games and a bicycle.
All of which he’s said to have loaded into a Salvation Army van that’s used to take the kettle bell ringers to their posts. Then Hutchinson says he stole that too, but not before grabbing a bite or two to eat.
Surveillance footage shows not only did the man hang out for three hours. He went into the walk-in fridge, dug through leftovers, and then went into the walk-in freezer and stole the chicken fingers the kids were going to have for dinner Friday night.
Hutchinson estimates including the van, the thief made off with upwards of $45,000 worth of items.
He says he’s praying God convinces the man to repent, turn over a new leaf and return what he stole.
“And that they would realize that if they had just come to us and asked for assistance, we give help every day here, and we’re more than happy to help those in need,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson believes the man is homeless and says the Precinct 4 Constable’s office is looking for him.
The organization is still planning to give away 2,000 turkeys Monday at 10 a.m. at 4026 Interwood N Pkwy, Houston.
If you’d like to help the Salvation Army after the burglary, visit SalvationArmyHouston.org