An unscrupulous thief executed a Christmas Eve robbery at the Quebec City Salvation Army on Wilfrid-Hamel Boulevard.
Surveillance footage from the site revealed that a masked robber smashed the glass windows of the Salvation Army storefront with a hammer, entered the store, and left with a small safe kept behind the cash register.
An amount between $3,000 and $5,000 was kept in the safe at the time it was stolen, according to a Salvation Army spokesperson. The money was raised through sales at the thrift store over a period of two days before Christmas.
The funds kept in the store's safe go to the maintenance of a food bank and the provision of supplies to the underprivileged population in and around Quebec City.
"During this time of year, the needs are much higher than usual because, well, it's a cold time of the year," explained charity spokesperson Brigitte St-Germain. "Usually during Christmastime they need more food, and more clothing than usual."
Because the money in the safe was cash, St-Germain said that it is not insurable.
However, the damaged building and its contents are all insured, and will likely be repaired sometime this week.
In the meantime, the Salvation Army is appealing to the population to donate to the organization, and is collectively trying to think of more ways to compensate for the loss.
"It's sad for someone to have to go and rob a not-for-profit organization," said St-Germain.
"For the person who did this and the people who will be affected by it-- it's a very sad situation."
