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Thief In Suisun City Steals Donations For Cancer Patients, Firefighter's Electronic Devices

SOLANO COUNTY (CBS13) - A thief struck during a charity event with thousands of people in attendance. And now volunteers are trying to get back donations that would have gone to help local cancer patients and their families.

"Quite frankly we are disgusted to see something like that happen," said Captain Jonathan Harvey, a Kroc Center administrator.

Donations meant for cancer patients and their families stolen from inside a pink fire truck have some seeing red.
"It's just sad that one individual can mar something that was really, really so spectacular," said Harvey.

It happened over the weekend at the family friendly Kroc Fest event held at the Kroc Center in Suisun City.

"It's pretty bold," said Suisun City Fire Chief Mike O'Brien.

O'Brien says someone reached into the front seat of the Pink Heals Solano fire truck and snatched a backpack filled with money raised at the event.

"There's that little time piece where you're packing up, everything is kinda moving around and, you know, so I think somebody was watching us and just took the moment," said O'Brien.

Inside the bag was about $450 that would have gone to a family in need.

"Most of our donations are $400 to $500 at a time, so basically what we lost would be one family we would have helped," said O'Brien.

The Pink Heals Solano organization has raised thousands of dollars for local cancer patients' families and provides support during tough times.

"We will drive up to their house, code 3, lights and siren going, jump out with a big bouquet of flowers, give them a hug and just try and make their day," said O'Brien.

The fire truck has been signed by thousands of people over the years who have either known someone with cancer, survived the disease, or lost the battle.

"Everybody we help is local. Our money doesn't go off to some other state. We don't pay for a whole lot of management. We are all volunteer," said O'Brien.

The brazen theft has these hardworking volunteers fired up.

"Give us our money back. Give us our equipment back. All you're doing is hurting somebody else," said O'Brien.

O'Brien says there was also about $4,000 worth of other electronics in the bag that was stolen, including his own cell phone and his fire department-issued public safety radio.

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