Quasimodo would be so ashamed of this bell ringer.
A donation-collecting volunteer jingled al the way to jail Saturday, after police arrested him for allegedly stealing several hundred dollars in coins from Salvation Army donation kettles.
Kevin L. Dinger reportedly told his fellow volunteers that he had instructions to replace the nearly full buckets with fresh ones, according to the Naples Daily News.
"Dinger used his position as an employee of the Salvation Army to steal the donations provided by honest citizens looking to assist a charitable cause," a police report explained. "Dinger knew the system for switching kettles and used it to his advantage to facilitate his criminal enterprise."
Authorities said that Dinger offered a similar explanation to police officers, but no records on his cell phone indicated that the alleged coin bandit actually received such a call from his superiors. The 49-year-old, who also owns and operates a landscaping company and ice cream factory, stole approximately $600, according to the Collier County Sheriff's Office.
Security footage at a Naples Publix supermarket confirmed Dinger's identity, WZVN reports.
Dinger, who is charged with grand theft and fraud, won't be dinging any bells for the Salvation Army any time soon.
PHOTOS: MUG SHOTS
Dumb Crime: Masterminds Need Not Apply
Related
Before You Go