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RCMP on the lookout for poppy fund thief

Surveillance cameras capture a man making off with a poppy donation box at Boston Pizza in Okotoks Nov. 4.
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The man suspected of taking the Legion poppy box from Boston Pizza in Okotoks on Nov. 4 was caught on camera. (Photo courtesy Boston Pizza Okotoks)

A thief who likely escaped with less than $10 in coins meant for local veterans earlier this week has citizens baffled.

Boston Pizza Okotoks general manager Anthony Casuncad said the restaurant’s video surveillance captured a man on Nov. 4 making off with the Okotoks Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion’s poppy fund donation box, which provides financial assistance to local veterans in need through health, housing and other emergency costs.

“It’s really sad and very disrespectful to such a great cause,” said Casuncad. “Our veterans are a symbol of our freedom.”

Boston Pizza staff didn’t realize the donation box - located at the front desk of the restaurant - was missing until Nov. 8. He said it’s the first time it’s gone missing in the Okotoks restaurant.

“I worked at Chinook and it happened there,” he said. “It’s tough to prevent anything like that because we trust everyone. It’s a good cause and you would assume that no one would do that.”

The video surveillance shows a clean-cut slender man sitting in the waiting area walk up to the counter and take the donation box before leaving. The man was wearing a dark coat, dark hoodie, jeans and running shoes with white soles.

“It looked like he was picking up an order,” said Casuncad. “I will talk to the host to determine what dialogue took place.”

Casuncad said the theft occurred after the evening’s busy rush.

“It was slowing down,” he said. “There were about three families left.”

Whatever money the thief stole, Casuncad said the restaurant will reimburse it.

“All of the employees have been donating their own money and Boston Pizza Okotoks is going to donate as well,” he said.

Although the amount stolen won’t hit the local legion hard, poppy campaign chair Maureen Haberstock said everyone is saddened by the theft.

“We’re certainly taken aback that anyone would stoop to do that,” she said. “In five years, this is the first time it’s ever been tampered with.”

The legion distributes more than 400 poppy boxes in local businesses during the two-week campaign, with four manned locations where larger sums of money are usually donated, said Haberstock.

Volunteers collect money from the boxes regularly, meaning that at any given time most boxes have very little money in them, she said.

“When our guys go around and change out the boxes, the average amount is $5 to $15,” she said. “Our merchants keep good track of it. If it’s getting full of bills they call us.”

In the case of Boston Pizza on the evening of Nov. 4, Haberstock said the box had been emptied not long before the theft occurred.

“I hope he’s enjoying his $6.25,” she said.

Haberstock said an attempt was made by a man following the incident at Boston Pizza to switch an empty poppy donation box for the box at nearby Panago Pizza. She said the manager chased the individual out of the store.

Okotoks RCMP could not be reached by the Western Wheel to get further details on the incident.

The Okotoks Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion #291 collects an average of $70,000 annually from its poppy campaign, of which two thirds comes from the four manned poppy locations and the remaining from the more than 400 boxes at local businesses, said Haberstock.

“It’s a very small amount at any given time that’s in those boxes,” she said. “I want potential thieves to think about that before they ever do something like that.”

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