Computers, $500 in Red Kettle donations stolen from Salvation Army in Phoenix
Dec 17, 2021, 1:15 PM
PHOENIX — Two laptop computers and $500 were stolen Wednesday night from the Salvation Army Phoenix Maryvale Corps Community Center during a break-in, the organization said.
The Salvation Army said Thursday said the trespassers accessed the building by breaking a door window, proceeding to steal the laptops as well as money from the organization’s signature Red Kettles.
“The most important thing is that no one was hurt in the incident, and we are grateful for that,” Joseph Cisneros, Salvation Army Phoenix Maryvale Corps officer, said in a press release.
The culprits also tried unsuccessfully to break into a locked storage shed, the organization said.
Not only did the break-in occur less than a week before Christmas, but the organization said it also came at a time when the Salvation Army is 30% short of its goal of raising $2.5 million during the annual Red Kettle Campaign.
Money that is collected in the Red Kettles outside of grocery stores around the state is used to help many Arizonans year-round with emergency food, shelter, rent and utility assistance, disaster relief and more.
People who wish to donate can do so at any Red Kettle location, or via NFC tags or QR codes on the kettles that provide options to make a contactless donation from a mobile device.
Donations, which stay local, can also be made online or by texting RedKettles to 51555, the organization said.
