Two Men Charged In Salvation Army Bucket Heist

Caption: Kavin Gipson, 48, of Hillside, one of two men charged in the alleged theft of a Salvation Army bucket in Lombard. A photo for Roosevelt Huddleston, 51, of Bellwood, who was also charged, was not available. | DuPage County Sheriff

Two men allegedly working in cahoots were charged with stealing a Salvation Army bucket outside a Lombard supermarket, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office announced.

Kavin Gipson, 48, of Hillside, and Roosevelt Huddleston, 51, of Bellwood, were each charged with misdemeanor theft. Gipson is also facing a felony charge of aggravated eluding of an officer

According to the charges, the two men approached Ultra Foods in Lombard around 7 p.m. Dec. 18, when the bell ringer was inside the store. Gipson allegedly grabbed the bucket while Huddleston acted as a lookout.

The two fled from the store in a car driven by Gipson, who then led police on a high-speed chase through a residential area, court records said.

Prosecutors said both men were caught at the end of the chase and arrested without further incident.

Gipson and Huddleston appeared in bond court Friday morning. Bail was set at $20,000 for Gipson, and $30,000 for Huddleston, with 10-percent to apply.

“It is very disheartening that in the midst of the holiday season, these two men allegedly stole money intended to brighten the holidays for those truly in need,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a news advisory. “Thankfully, they did not get far and they will now have to answer to the charges filed against them.”

Similar thefts of the Salvation Army’s iconic red buckets have been stolen around the country, including a theft in front of a Walgreen’s Store in Oak Lawn on Dec. 9. A Chicago couple replaced the money that was stolen with an $800 donation.

A Salvation Army Metropolitan Chicago representative said the organization goes to great measures to ensure the safety of bell ringers by placing them in front of businesses that are well lit and have security cameras.

The Salvation Army uses a combination of volunteer and hired bell ringers.