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Non-profit organization benefitting veterans burglarized

MOUNT HOLLY SPRINGS, Pa. – A non-profit organization that helps homeless veterans in Cumberland County was broken into over the weekend. Operation Veteran...
MOUNT HOLLY SPRINGS, Pa. - A non-profit organization that helps homeless veterans in Cumberland County was broken into over the weekend. Operation Veterans' Hope has a Work2Stay program, where veterans can work in the organization's thrift shop in exchange for a roof over their head.

The founder of the organization, Jonathan Locke, said the intruders didn't take much, except for their peace of mind.

"They took two laptops, they cut wires randomly throughout the store; at my desk, at the desk back here. They took money out of our cash register, and also took our donation box," Locke said.

Locke admits, he couldn't care less about those items.

"It's the fact that somebody felt the need they had to break in and take from the organization," Locke said. "Pretty much everyone around knows what we're doing here."

Including Ed Horn, the owner of the barber shop two doors down.

"It gives a man a chance to get his life back. It gives him the opportunity to do some work and gives him a sense of being," Horn said.

Horn has worked at Nelson's Barber shop for 14 years. He helps out by giving free haircuts to the veterans.

"It's very upsetting because it's a charitable organization and for somebody to do that, it's just horrible," Horn said.

Locke believes the intruders were there on Sunday between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. That's because the register leaves a time stamp anytime buttons are pushed.

Jonathan says even though the thrift shop only lost about a thousand dollars. It's the veterans who are impacted the most.

"I don't get paid for this, this is volunteer for me. The only ones getting paid are the veterans in the program," Locke said. "So, for somebody to come in here, and steal something, it's stealing from the veterans. I believe in karma. What goes around comes around and I hope they're caught. I hope they feel guilty for what they did."

Jonathan plans to add more cameras in and around the building. Police are still investigating. There was only $32.50 in the register at the time.

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