Salvation Army truck used to feed needy recovered; suspect in custody
WASHINGTON - A stolen Salvation Army delivery truck has been found thanks to a FOX 5 viewer who says they saw our story Monday afternoon.
The viewer told FOX 5 they spotted the truck Monday night after our report aired near the Washington Marriott Capitol Hill close to First and l Street in the northeast.
Officials say a suspect is in custody and has been charged with receiving stolen goods. The suspect has been identified as 58-year-old Michael Peete, of Northwest, D.C. Peete was arrested and charged.
The truck is used to serve hot meals to hundreds of homeless people each night.
A previous version of this story appears below:
The Salvation Army is asking the public for help after thieves targeted one of their trucks at their busiest time of the year.
The truck, which serves hundreds in D.C. every night, was stolen late Saturday. It’s called the "Grate Patrol Canteen" and it provides warm meals to those in need.
Despite this burglary, the Salvation Army says they’re doing what they can to keep serving the public.
"Our Angel Tree, our Red Kettle campaign are just two of the ones the public is most familiar with, that they’re seeing a lot right now," said Major Todd Mason with the Salvation Army.
Mason says what many people may not be familiar with is the Grate Patrol — a year-round service the Salvation Army runs on top of the holiday assistance programs. It's a critical community resource that feeds hundreds of people experiencing homelessness or food security in D.C. every night.
This mobile service has been up and running for about 40 years and the only night they did not serve meals was on Jan. 6, due to safety concerns.
As police search for this truck and the Salvation Army is fundraising to potentially have to replace it, they’re adjusting their outreach efforts. They’re using a minivan to get food to those who need it for now, but they say it can only provide cold meals.
"It saddens our hearts that someone would get to a point where they felt the need to do that, but we want to make sure we are maintaining hope and joy for people in need," Mason said. "So, whether it’s through our Angel Tree program that we are doing for Christmas or replacing our Grate Patrol vehicle to be able to feed people each evening, we are going to keep that spirit of hope and joy."
On Monday, a viewer contacted FOX 5 after spotting the truck in front of a Marriott Hotel along L Street Northeast.
FOX 5 has confirmed the license plate on the vehicle matches the truck police were looking for.
Paris Lewbel, a D.C. police spokesperson, said that a suspect is in custody and has been charged with receiving stolen goods.
Click here to donate to the Salvation Army.
Featured
What's open and closed on Christmas Day 2023
If you forgot a food item or batteries on Christmas Day, there are several stores that plan to remain open, many with adjusted holiday hours.