Police say a tip led to the man who is believed to be stealing to support a drug habit.
By CRAIG PITTMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published December 5, 2005
Lee J. George
ST. PETERSBURG - An anonymous tip led police to a suspect in the wave of robberies that have targeted Salvation Army bellringers and their donation-stuffed kettles, detectives announced Monday.
St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park detectives identified the suspect as Lee J. George, 41, former owner of a Clearwater Corvette repair shop who has a criminal record for car theft and and burglary going back 20 years.
Detectives said they believe his recent spate of thefts - including a recent purse-snatching unrelated to the Salvation Army robberies - are designed to feed the suspect's drug habit. He made his first attempts at swiping the kettles Nov. 28 and his most recent on Saturday.
"The information we've got is he's using crack quite heavily," said St. Petersburg police Det. James Shakas. "That's what he's doing what he's doing."
Kettle thefts are not unusual. But five attempts in five days by the same thief is enough to alarm the cadre of volunteer and paid bellringers who turn out every Christmas season to collect money for the Salvation Army.
"The first lady who was robbed has not been back," said Maj. Gary Elliott, area commander. He described a meeting of the bellringers Monday morning as "a pretty anxious group," with one woman openly weeping as she described her fears.
The thief has has targeted more vulnerable bellringers, who are elderly and even handicapped people, Elliott said. The Salvation Army pays those bellringers to guard its kettles because "that's who we want to help," he said, adding, "They enlist the public's support and sympathy. We're not going to put a bunch of husky men out there."
The case has generated national publicity, which has actually boosted Salvation Army collections this year, Elliott said. "We're thankful for that, although we'd rather not have publicity this way."
