Boy steals Salvation Army kettle from man at mall, police say

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Dunwoody police are working to find the boy who stole a Salvation Army kettle.

Todd Copper has been collecting money for the Salvation Army for 21 years.

"I sit out here like nine hours, 10 hours a day," he said. "I'm helping a lot of people who cannot do it on their own."

Copper has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair, but his father said he has never let that hold him back.

"Even though he's in a wheelchair, he believes that he can do things that other people can't," Tom Copper said.

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Todd Copper said he never had a problem at his post at Perimeter Mall until Monday afternoon.

Police said a boy around 10-12 years old snatched the bucket of money and ran away. Police hope surveillance video will help them catch the thief.

"He was really distraught. Why do people do this?" Tom Copper said.

The father said his son continued to take donations after the theft.

"He said, 'No I want to stay here.' And even though he didn't have a bucket, people were putting money on his lap," Tom Cooper said.

Police said they are hopeful mall and MARTA surveillance cameras may help catch the suspect.

Cox Media Group