Wednesday, February 21

Prison for man who stole $5 donation

How about this story by Jim Suhr for the Associated Press... a man in Illinois was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for taking a $5 bill from a charity collection jar at the Community Kindness Resale Shoppe.

Richard Hedger II, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to felony theft for stealing from the jar, placed on a thrift-store counter. Money in the jar was meant for Belleville police Sgt. Jon Brough, 48, who was shot in the face and permanently blinded in November by a double-slaying suspect who later killed
himself.
A cashier said she saw Hedger with the jar just before she noticed a $5 bill missing. The shop's general manager also said Hedger apologized before he was taken away in handcuffs.
Hedger was charged with a felony because of a prior felony conviction. He received a two-year sentence in 2004 after pleading guilty to aggravated battery, for spitting on another Belleville police officer.

Are you kidding me? 2 1/2 years in prison?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a member of the communicty who knows the man that tried to steal from the jar, yes, 2 and a half years...

And he should have gotten more.

Anonymous said...

This man has a long history of mental instabiity, misdemeanors, and felonies besides the assault on the officer, and has been in and out of mental health facilities and jails for many years, and needs to be off the streets for a long time. 2 and a half years is not enough. Unless you know his background, don't be too quick to condemn the sentence.