The annual Poppy Campaign is one of the Royal Canadian Legion’s most important programs. The money raised from donations provides direct assistance for Veterans in financial distress, as well as, funding for medical equipment, medical research, in-home services, long-term care facilities and many other necessities. www.veterans.gc.ca
Since November 4, 2017 local businesses and members of the Royal Canadian Legion branch 76, here in Greater Sudbury have reported the theft of twenty Poppy boxes that contained both poppies and an undisclosed amount of money.
The funds raised by the Poppy boxes are essential to providing assistance and support to our local Veterans each year.
Over the past week, Members of the Break, Enter and Robbery (B.E.A.R.) Unit with the assistance of Uniform Patrol have investigated each theft complaint and worked collaboratively with local business owners to secure surveillance video footage from each incident.
As a result, 29-year old Michael Petryna was identified as being responsible for at least seven of the twenty Poppy box thefts. On Thursday, November 9, 2017 around 2:15 p.m. Michael was arrested and charged with seven counts of Theft Under $5,000.
