Someone broke into the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Grand River Avenue in Genoa Township earlier this week, sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning, making off with approximately $2,800 in cash and some jewelry.
Seriously. Some lowlifes actually broke into the Salvation Army store and stole money and jewelry from a store that sells second-hand items to benefit poor people.
In a story on WHMI.com, authorities say they believe the suspects got into the store after they pried open a rear entry door. If, like me, you are familiar with the store, it’s likely one of the doors around the back of the store at which you drop off donations.
In the spirit of the Salvation Army — which turns away no one — store manager Rani Gabbara told WHMI that the organization will get past the incident and continue serving anyone in need.
Gabbara’s attitude is illustrative of why the Salvation Army is so important, and why this theft makes me so angry. The store is an important part of this community, a place where people — especially poor people — can shop for clothing and household items in a true department-store atmosphere.
Well, Gabbara is a bigger person than me. In the spirit of the outrage I feel that anyone would steal from an organization dedicated to helping the poor and downtrodden, I hope the *@#*%&^s who broke in are caught swiftly and sentenced to a long stint of community service unloading and processing donations and stocking the store’s shelves.
There is the potential that great lessons can be learned; it’s a lot harder to steal from someone after you walk a mile in their shoes, or get to know their mission and their customers and clients.
Until then, if you are as angry as me about this incident, you can make donations to the store at anytime. The store is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. The store is also open for donations only from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
You can check out the Livingston County Salvation Army by clicking here.
The Brighton Post of the Michigan State Police is investigating the theft, and if you know anything about it, you can contact authorities by calling (810) 227-1051.
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