Donated School Supplies Stolen In Danvers

DANVERS, MA -- Thieves have made off with school supplies left in donation bins set up at Danvers businesses. Backpacks, folders, notebooks, boxes of crayons and markers were taken from a donation bin set up by the nonprofit Community Giving at Monkey Joe's, an indoor children's play place on Newbury Street. Separately, a similar bin at a McDonald's restaurant also had items taken, according to social media posts by the charity drive organizers.

A spokesperson for the Danvers Police Department was not immediately available for comment Tuesday morning. Community giving was scheduled to pick up the supplies at Monkey Joe's on Tuesday afternoon and distribute them to local families in need ahead of next week's start of school.

"If the people were in need and asked, we would have turned over the items gladly," one of the organizers said in a message on a closed Facebook group for Danvers residents. The organizer believes the supplies were taken by customers of Monkey Joe's during regular business hours.

The Danvers Food Pantry is also collecting school supply donations. The group has donation boxes set up at Danvers Town Hall and the Danvers Community YMCA.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).