A local man is facing charges after police say he stole a donation box containing cash from the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society.
- Tony Salazar, 44, of Fort Walton Beach, was arrested Tuesday and charged with petit theft, according to the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.
Officers received a report of the stolen donation box at approximately 10:19 a.m. Monday from PAWS, located at 752 Lovejoy Road NW. The organization provided video surveillance footage of the incident to police.
With assistance from multiple tips from the public, officers were able to identify and locate Salazar within a short period of time. Police said Salazar provided a full confession, telling officers it was a “crime of opportunity.”
PAWS announced the theft on social media Monday, sharing footage from the surveillance footage and asking the community for help identifying those involved.
- “Today, someone stole the donation box from our front desk,” the organization wrote. “We don’t know how much was taken, but what we do know is that those funds were meant to care for homeless, injured, and vulnerable animals.”
The organization said the theft was both a financial and emotional blow.
“This hurts — not just financially, but emotionally — because every dollar makes a difference for the lives we work so hard to save,” PAWS said.
The Fort Walton Beach Police Department thanked PAWS and the community for their assistance in resolving the case.
