Elgin Salvation Army robbed of toys, school supplies

Thirty backpacks filled with school supplies and about 20 black-and-white, 5-inch-wide TVs were stolen from a Salvation Army storage garage in Elgin last week, officials said.

Salvation Army workers discovered the theft Dec. 16 while preparing for their toy giveaway that runs through Wednesday this week.

"It's kind of a Grinch-type story," Salvation Army Major Ken Nicolai said Sunday.

In December 2008, someone broke into the office and stole a laptop computer, he added.

But the Elgin community has been "very generous" this year, and Nicolai believes they still have enough goods to distribute to the 1,000-plus people expected for the giveaway.

"We believe we'll have enough gifts for everyone who comes in the coming week," he said. "Obviously, someone was very selfish."

The same can't be said for folks who dropped coins in kettles across the Elgin area this month.

Nicolai said they are on pace to collect $250,000 in their holiday fundraising drive, which would be a second consecutive record-setting year. Last year, people contributed about $225,000, $175,000, Nicolai said.

The number of large donations in the form of personal checks over $1,000 were down, but people gave what they could, he said.

Last week, someone dropped a 1901 and 1902 coin into the same kettle and other locations rendered two silver coins. The exact value has not been determined, but it could well exceed $5,000, Nicolai said.

The Salvation Army donation drive runs through Christmas and they also accept food at their main office, 316 Douglas St., Elgin. For more information, call (847) 741-2304.