More poppy box thefts prompt security review

For the second time in a week, Calgary Police have made an arrest in a poppy box theft.

Just before 11 p.m. Wednesday night, a man walked into a McDonald’s on 17th Avenue and 13th Street S.W., grabbed a poppy box and fled.

Officers caught up with the man and have charged him with one count of theft under $5,000.

More than 30 poppy boxes have been stolen since this year’s campaign began.

Earlier this week a man was charged in connection with three of them.

Poppy Fund organizers plan to review security.

“We are going to take a look at how we can better control the poppy pots that we lay out,” says the Poppy Fund’s Joey Bleviss. “Maybe it’s to ask retailers to maybe put them in a different location – or maybe we can help them to watch over them a little bit better.”

“It’s really unfortunate that this year we have lost so many pots.”

Organizers say they won’t make any changes until next year and until then, they say they will continue to rely on the honesty and trustworthiness of Calgarians.