ODESSA, Texas — Burglars broke into a Salvation Army office and took $4,000 — all the proceeds from a weekend of bell-ringing — and painted graffiti on the walls.
The thieves broke in late Sunday night or early Monday morning. They also took a laptop computer, and damages to the office will run in the thousands, said Salvation Army Sgt. Jay Ward.
"It's devastating this happened," Ward said. "But at the same time, we've had a great Christmas season."
A custodian discovered the break-in at about 5:30 a.m. What he first mistook for sand on the floor turned out to be the contents of a fire extinguisher.
"Then I saw the graffiti, so that's when I called the cops," custodian James Warden said.
Police said the burglars apparently used a crowbar to break in, then left gang graffiti and damages to walls and doors and fire and smoke damage in the chapel. A Christmas wreath was set afire and doused, causing extensive damage.
The Empty Stocking Fund, a project of the Salvation Army and the Odessa American, raised more than $110,000 for local families at Christmas.
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