Struggling with unemployment and eviction, a couple, Joshua Basinger and Rachel Pecharka decided to steal a Salvation Army donation bucket that was placed in a local convenience store, in Pittsburgh.
According to police reports, when the couple was arrested they confessed that the money was stolen so that they could use it to buy heroin. After taking away the donation bucket and removing almost $40 that was inside, they got rid of the bucket and threw it in a trash bin. Investigators using anonymous tips and surveillance footage of the store were able to finally track down the thieving couple at a McDonald location that was 20 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.
The couple, Basinger, 30 and Pecharka, 21, will probably be charged with misdemeanor counts of theft and criminal conspiracy and they could be sentenced to up to 1 year imprisonment, depending on the severity of the accusations. The couple will remain free for the time being as no court date has been scheduled yet.
Photo Credit: David Sillitoe/The Guardian
