Salvation Army trailer stolen from group's Pasadena location

PASADENA, TX (KTRK) -- Police are searching for the thieves who stole a Salvation Army trailer parked outside the group's Pasadena location.

The white 1996 enclosed utility trailer was stolen around 2am September 2 from the 3700 block of Cherrybrook Lane. Surveillance cameras recorded a group of thieves pulling up in a white extended can pick-up, hooking a trailer to their truck, then driving away.

"We want to catch them," said Pasadena Police Department spokesperson Vance Mitchell.

The 6x12 trailer alone is worth almost $6,000. It's used for storage because there is not enough space inside the building. Inside, the trailer was full of equipment for the upcoming Christmas collection season. Thieves may not have known it at the time, but they stole everything from aprons to those signature red kettles and bells. There is only one bell and apron left at Pasadena's Salvation Army.

"It's almost $18,000 that we lost that day," said Salvation Army Major Floiran Estrada, who said they will now make sure every staff member and volunteer collecting donations wears an ID tag.

"If they don't have an ID, they are not working for the Salvation Army," said Estrada.

Police hope someone sees the trailer and returns everything back to where it belongs.

"They know what they have now. The right thing to do would be to return it," said Mitchell.

Anyone with information regarding the identity of the suspect(s) is encouraged to contact the Pasadena Police Department at 713-477-1221 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477). Callers who wish to remain anonymous should contact Crime Stoppers.

Information provided by the caller to Crime Stoppers that leads to the arrest of the suspect is eligible for a cash reward up to $5,000.