By Stephen Magagnini smagagnini@sacbee.com
More than $23,000 in goods intended to help 400 struggling California veterans was stolen from Boy Scout Camp Pollock, according to Sacramento Stand Down.
"They took everything from two ladders in a closed electric crate, right down to hoodies, men's socks, military style boots, baseball caps, bath towels, hygiene products, over 500 brand new pairs of men's underwear, pots pans and big cooking vessels," said Barbara Ross, director of 2012 Sacramento Stand Down, which every year provides free services to hundreds of homeless veterans from the Korean War to Afghanistan.
This year's free event, scheduled for September 21-23 at Camp Pollock, 467 Del Paso Boulevard, is scrambling to replace the stolen goods through donations, Ross said.
The theft took place between Sept. 1 and 3 during a camping and crafts event hosted by the California Indian Hobbyist Association, police said.
Some campers were observed going through and taking items by Camp Ranger Gary Ross, police said. The CIHA representative, Glenn Adams, admitted to the ranger that he had "no control over them."
Ross said the CIHA is trying to round up some of the stolen goods, and donations are starting to come in so the needy veterans will get what they need to help them get clean and find jobs.
Veterans can clear up citations for sleeping on benches, urinating in public and other misdemeanors, get California IDs and receive medical help, Ross said.
"We will have a Stand Down come hell or high water," Ross said. "Maybe not the quality we had in the past, which is not fair to our men." Ross can be reached at 916-798-3317.
Donations to help replace the stolen goods are being accepted here.
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