Thief steals kids’ book money

By Jennifer Langston

Herald Writer

Someone stole a safe full of money from a pumpkin patch in Arlington Monday night, ultimately robbing elementary school children of books.

The thief took one day’s proceeds from "Pumpkins for Literacy," a philanthropic Halloween program run by the Marysville Noon Rotary.

The money collected from selling cider and pumpkins on a donated two-acre patch of land goes to buy books for area elementary schools.

"That’s the disheartening thing," said Joel Hylback, owner of the Smokey Point Plant Farm where the pumpkins are grown. "It’s kind of like someone stealing flowers from the cemetery on Mother’s Day."

Someone pried open the doors of a wooden concession trailer at the farm sometime Monday night, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

The thief took a small safe from the office and climbed over a fence with it, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen.

Volunteers who oversee the pumpkin sales were sleeping in a nearby trailer but didn’t hear anything, Hylback said. Since they were raising money for a good cause, that was all the security they thought they’d need, he said.

Last year the program raised $12,000 to buy books for elementary schools in Lakewood and Marysville. One day’s sales weren’t a huge loss, Hylback said, but it was certainly more than the club would have liked.

To be safe, they’ll make sure none of the money is left on the farm overnight from now on.

"I guess some people are just bold," he said. "I guess we’re going to have a more realistic view of human nature and make daily deposits."

Anyone with information concerning the theft is asked to call the sheriff’s tip line at 425-388-3845.

You can call Herald Writer Jennifer Langston at 425-339-3452 or send e-mail to langston@heraldnet.com.

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