Thieves swipe coronavirus donations from Boise restaurant. Police need help finding loot
Boise Police are searching for a metal box full of donations that was stolen from a restaurant Monday afternoon.
Officers were called to a restaurant in the 4900 block of West Overland Road after reports that the box — full of money to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic — was taken, according to tweets from the Boise Police Department.
Police said they were able to catch the suspected thieves, but not before they hid or discarded the box. The search area for the box is near Orchard Street to the west and Overland Road to the south, or near South Newell Street and Kootenai Street to the north.
The box is gray and made of metal, according to the Boise Police Department.
Hayley Williams, BPD public information officer, said in an email Monday night that two people were arrested and charged with petit theft. Williams said this is the first instance she’s aware of in which people have stolen a donation box during the coronavirus crisis. Boise restaurants are closed to dine-in customers but can fill to-go orders.
Police are asking that whoever finds the box not touch it, as they would like to process it as evidence. Instead, call Crime Stoppers at 208-343-COPS (2677) and report the box to police. You can also visit 343COPS.com or use the P3 Tips app on your smartphone.
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 8:43 PM.
