Donation Boxes Removed, Redesigned for Theft-proofing

Ashland officials have removed three donation boxes aimed at benefiting the homeless after it was discovered that all the paper bills inside had been stolen. The Ashland Daily Tidings reports the downtown boxes will be reinstalled after they are redesigned to be theft proof.

The boxes were installed in mid-June as part of a project to help homeless people in Ashland and Talent.
Graham Lewis is a member of Ashland's Homelessness Steering Committee. He says when the boxes were opened this month, they contained $90 in change. Lewis says organizers knew of people who had deposited paper bills.

A 48-year-old homeless man was arrested in July for allegedly using a wire hook to fish money out of one of the boxes.