Ohio judge orders man who stole from Salvation Army to spend night homeless

Published: Friday, January 25, 2008 | 12:55 AM ET
Canadian Press: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PAINESVILLE, Ohio - A judge in Ohio ordered a Salvation Army worker who stole a holiday kettle containing about $250 to spend the night homeless Thursday.

Nathen Smith, 28, was to spend the night anywhere but a house, said Municipal Judge Michael Cicconetti. Smith was fitted with a GPS device to track his moves. "My initial reaction was: 'Wow.' But I don't think the sentence is too harsh," said Smith, who expected to spend Thursday night in a homeless shelter.

"I can see the judge's point because what I did, I shouldn't have done. Now I've got to pay the consequences."

The Salvation Army uses kettle donations to help pay for food, clothing and shelter for the homeless.

Smith, who also received a three-day jail sentence, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge of theft.

Smith worked as a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army outside a Kmart store in nearby Eastlake on Dec. 17. Police arrested him at his mother's house after a co-worker reported one of eight kettles was missing.

Smith was scheduled to return to court Friday to determine how much community service he must do to avoid paying a fine and costs for the tracking system.

Painesville is about 50 kilometres northeast of Cleveland.