Teenagers snatch veteran's donation jar on Veterans Day
PORTLAND, Ore. – Thieves robbed a 91-year-old World War II veteran collecting donations for his post – on Veterans Day.
Elle Ellsworth has plenty of stories from his service in the Navy, and now he volunteers with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. On Veterans Day he was collecting donations outside the Safeway at Southeast 122nd and Powell.
"I've been doing it for about 15 years and never had any trouble," Ellsworth said Wednesday. "My son-in-law kept on saying you need to put some of that money away. Luckily this time I listened to him and put the money in another container."
It was a different container, however, that caught the eye of two people. While he was collecting donations, he noticed two teenagers standing about 20 feet away and acting a little suspicious. About two minutes later one of them got away with his donation jar.
"He grabbed that thing so quick and took off and went to the other end of the store and turned the corner, and that was the last I saw of him," Ellsworth said.
He said he still can't believe the teenagers targeted him.
"I feel really sorry for him," Ellsworth said. "You know, I'm from the Greatest Generation, and I just can't wrap my mind around someone doing that. We just don't take someone's stuff."
Despite being robbed on the day the country honors those who served and are serving, Ellsworth said the incident won't stop him.
"The VFW's motto is honoring the dead by helping the living. So that's what we do," he said.
Even though he was upset someone did that to him, Ellsworth still spent the rest of the day collecting donations.
Surveillance video has been turned over to the Portland Police Bureau to determine if the suspects are on the video.
Ellsworth's VFW post is holding a turkey dinner fundraiser this Sunday and is hoping to replace some of the stolen money. It runs from noon to 5 at Post 1442. That’s on 87th avenue in Southeast Portland.
This story came to us as a news tip. If you have a story idea for us, send us an email at newstips@katu.com.
bY THE WAY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO KNOW THE COST OF THE TURKEY DINNER
 IT IS $8.00  PER PERSON THANKS
Many people who left comments wondered why no description of the low life thieves. Â Maybe the news could not relay the descriptions, but I sure can. I am a daughter of the vet this happened to.
MALES AROUND 18-19 YEARS OLD--ONE WAS WHITE --THE OTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN
come out for the Thanksgiving Dinner on Sunday November 18th from noon to five - I've tried calling the number for VFW Post 1442 (District 3) VFW Hall 3405 SE 87th Avenue Portland, OR 97236 Ph. (503) 774-4674 - the line has been continuously busy. Does anyone know the cost of the dinner on Sunday? Â
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Please post the cost of the dinner. Thanks!
 @Sandy M.  tHE COST OF THE tURKEY dINNER IS  $8.00 PER PERSON
sORRY YOU COULD NOT GET THROUGH ON THE TELEPHONE
THIS IS HORRIBLE AND I HOPE THEY CATCH THESE KIDS AND MAKE THEM RETURN THE MONEY PLUS DO COMMUNITY SERVICE WORKING AT THE VFWS POST.  ALSO MAKE THEM WEAR A SIGN STATING I  STOLE FROM A MAN WHO RISKED HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY AND IS STILL DONATING HIS TIME SO THEY HAVE THEIR FREEDOM TO  WALK AROUND BREAKING THE LAW.Â
the worst generation stealing from the greatest. guess it's not surprising
This is my Father this incident happened to. I am appalled at the disrespect for Veterans (and even on Veterans Day)Â that these 2 teenagers displayed.
Also, I am MAD! What is wrong with them!!!??? I hope the money served them well and that they really needed it but we all know this isn't the case.
Where are their parents and what did they teach them about respecting the people that served and made this country a better place for them? Probably Absent Parents!Â
I hope these two are caught and I like the idea of having them stand out in public wearing a sign that says I AM A THIEF or I STOLE FROM THE ELDERLY AND THE VETERANS
Ellie Ellsworth's Proud Daughter, Kathie (Ellsworth) Olsen
Thanks to all the honest folk that have given and shown respect.  Â
Please express my admiration and respect to your pop, and tell him to remember for every two bit punk a-s-s kid out there is many many of us that love and respect our veterans!
 @Kathie Ellsworth-Olsen This is my Dad "Elly". I can't spell right! LOLÂ
To anyone wanting to make donations to VFW Post 1442 you may do so by mailing to 3405 SE 87th Portland Or 97266.
Better yet stop in Sunday November 18th from 12:00 P.M. Â to 5:00 P.M. and enjoy a turkey dinner! Then you can make a donation if you wish. Â Come enjoy some good company, good eats and thank the veterans in person.
KATU, do you have an address where donations can be sent? I know you posted the address of the dinner, but I was wondering if it's the same address. I'd like to make a donation to these deserving veterans.
 @BreezyK yes donations can be mailed to same address as the turkey dinner that is 1442 post's add. Â
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 @BreezyK address is 3405 S.E. 87th Ave Portland Or 97266
Criminals are becoming bolder and think they can get away with it. Just more of a decline in society. It will help lead to the fall of our society.
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http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Guards-sought-for-news-crews-in-Oakland-4035104.php
Another important [the most important] facet of this sad story is intentionally and purposely untouched, shunned, and kept hidden by the media with help from our overly liberal society which is that the odds are astronomically high that the two 'kids' involved were likely from broken families. No dad, missing dad, several dads or live in boyfriends etc...if both of the 'kids' were found to be from ideal family structures, meaning mom and dad, married, and both families were married prior to conception etc.. and still married, I'll be happy to admit my foolishness. But I'm not wrong. The slow decline and intentional destruction of the American family unit and the values associated with that ideal, is THE reason for our societal decline.    Â
About three years ago a friend of mine who is a great Mom got a call from child protective services about swatting (one swat) on the butt of her seven year old son, and she made him tell the clerk that he was sorry in a department store for stealing. This was not child abuse, it was about teaching your child right from wrong! Beating your children or neglecting them is child abuse!!! THIS IS A PROBLEM PEOPLE! We live in a time where children have no bounders, and no one teaches them about RESPECT!!! I work at a school and you would be shocked at how little some of these students care about anything but themselves!! Many people have no faith anymore in GOD or mankind......and this is what kind of children we are now producing today.........You have to love your children with everything you have and that includes teaching them right from wrong! Some people should never be parents!!!!
Well, when they catch up to these low-lifes and convict them,  I think good old-fashioned stocks might work... let's see... we don't really have "public squares" anymore... maybe Pioneer Square?   And a large sign, stating exactly what they did...  and maybe some baskets of very ripe tomatoes, eggs, etc nearby..?  Â
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Maybe that would get the message across... "Hey idiots; this is NOT acceptable behavior..!"
If they lived in Bolivia right now and got caught, they would cut off their hands. Ouch!
@MrAchilles Good!!! That's just what they need!! I'm pretty sure it's that way in other
places,too. Parts of the Middle East do that....or at least they used to.
Just reading the title is very disturbing, but not shocking.   Tweekers have no conscience. Â
This is a new low point for human kind. Everyday I notice less morals and no remorse when and if they are caught, whomever they happen to be. I fear for our future generations.
God bless America.
Good luck, sir. I'll be passing through the area today and I'll try to find you to donate. They can never steal your honor.
Lets get to the real meat of this story. How about a description of the thieves? I'd love to guess, but that would just bring out the race baiters. I'll wager any amount that they were not 'Mormons'.
 @last boyscout Truth is, you'd likely be wrong.  My bet is on white middle-class or upper-middle-class, 16 or 17 years old, looking for easy money to buy drugs or shiny techno gadgets.Â
@Gravity Works! @last boyscout At 122nd and Powell? -Â doubtful they would fit that description.
 @Gravity Works!  @last boyscout @last boyscoutÂ
My in-laws live in that area and shop there regularly. I go there from time-to-time between my home and theirs.
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I won't take that bet. There is something like one African American, and 12 Asian families in my area. White families are being replaced by Asian.
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In that area they are being replaced by African Americans to the tune that the multiplex next to their home, all of the families who live in it are African American (the complex is owned by an Asian family), as is the recently built complex on the end of their block.
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So I am guessing something like 20-30% of the families in that area are African American, and those with children/teenagers more than half of young people in those ages are African American.
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So statistically speaking, it is most likely young African American teens.
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But if you want some evidence you might be right, notice there is no description in the story.
I wonder why they do not give a description.
@Gravity Works! @last boyscout  "drugs or shiny techno gadgets."  Bingo!
 @Gravity Works! I stopped in that store 7 days a week for about 5 years just up till last year. I've got a pretty good idea of how the neighborhood has radically changed lately, I'm not betting on white kids. Although the meth head parasites are pretty thick around there.
@Gravity Works! @last boyscout a friend of mine lives nearby and woke up with three (white) teenagers in his apartment a couple of weeks ago. Tweakers are zombies.
That's just the way it is nowadays. People steal from the blind, homeless, veterans and other chairities without a second thought as if it was their own money. I wonder why they do that?
@Billy Batts meth.
@Playanekes It doesn't have to be meth. It could be they feel "entitiled" to it also. Lots of people young and older have that attitude.
@Billy Batts because teens rthese days are lazy cowards.
 @iamtroglodite  @Billy Yep, it's the mentality of today's society thanks to our "Commander" in Chief.
@scoreboard @iamtroglodite @Billy ah.. So, the ENTIRE mentality of America's society is due to our President. People like you are why there's so much animosity toward conservatives. Grow up.
@scoreboard @Billy You can't blame Obama or Bush for this one. It has been building since the late 70's, early 80's. When they started making it impossible to legaly punish your children, even for major things like this, they made it so kids do not have the feeling that they will be held accountable. I, personaly, was far from perfect growing up in the 50's. The difference was, no matter how much of a bad as-s we were, we had nothing but total respect for all older folks, not just veterans. We would test our boundries and environment, but the whole point was to push the envelope and prove we were tough. Somehow I don't see stealing from a 91 year old veteran collecting change for a great cause being something to be proud of. Or, for that matter stealing I-Pads from autistic children.
@scoreboard  That is just about the most unintelligent comment I've seen in a long time!
.Southeast 122nd and Powell is in a bad area of Portland.
I am sick of that excuse. I grew up in a pretty shady area in LA; we did not pick on old veterans or autistic kids. We were always trying to "one up" eachother, which meant (quite often) getting into a fight with a bigger man or daring to jump off a higher roof, or something people would call stupid today. I can tell you this, though, if we found out this happened and who did it, well that would be the task of the day; retribution!
This is what we have come to? Stealing money from someone who mad such a huge difference in our lives. This was not only stolen from 1 person, this was stolen from all of us.  I blame the parents who have not taught their children anything about our history or to respect their elders. This is sick and I hope these kids get tossed in jail and publicly humiliated. Make them hold up a sign saying what they did. They'll never do it again.
Man, I can't even imagine the humility I would feel if one of my kids did something even remotely like this. I also can't tell you the wrath they would incur! Young humans have no self worth; modern society has created a lazy, heartless "ME,ME,ME and GIMME,GIMME,GIMME generation.
@iamtroglodite right. There was never theft in America before this generation.
of course there was. Difference is, you got your ass beat by your parents and humiliated by your freinds if you picked on a old guy.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, this makes me furious. What a disgusting thing to do. I don't understand how people/kids can be so screwed up. There is absolutely no excuse. Shame on them.
I hope to store has the two on video tape so it will easier to catch them.
Those little punks! I don't care if they are minors, they deserve a beating!
No respect! I really hope they get caught!Â
This is BS!!! Who would do duch a thing!?!? I would like to donate money to the poor vet...how can we get a hold of him to help replace the money that was stolen?
If they catch the kid(s) who did this, they should be sentenced to an 18 month tour of Afghanistan, with latrine duty 6 days a week and scouting for landmines on the 7th. Couple of worthless little pukes. Better yet, I'd love to see them caught and "corrected" by a couple of active Marines. Their mothers would cry.
@badcat their mothers wouldn't be the only one crying if a couple of Marine DIs got a chance to settle this.