Expensive fur stolen from charity planning to use money for comp - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

A charity thrift store planning to raise money from a valuable donation was robbed of its chance to further help needy families. An expensive fur coat was donated to the Re-use Thrift & Consignment Center on Jahnke Road months ago.

Robyn Parsons is a co-owner of the shop which also supports the Bobcat Sports League & Youth Development organization. The Bobcat Sports League has served nearly 900 kids in soccer and nature programs over the last five years. However, Parsons says that the funds raised from the coat were to buy computers for the store, to be used by less fortunate families.

"For kids who did not have internet access, so they could come in here and do their homework, and for adults who wanted to come in here and do job searches," said Parsons.

Parsons says the coat was estimated to be worth $2,500 to $3,000. She was planning on selling the generous donation on eBay or raffling it off.

"If they do take something, I guess it's generally because they needed it. But nobody needed that fur," said Parsons.

However, Parsons says the coat, from renown New York dealer Freddie the Furrier, was stolen last Saturday. The store was swarming with people during a back-to-school clothing giveaway. The thief snuck it by at least a dozen volunteers.

"They probably turned it inside out and stuffed it in the bag or put some clothes on top of it," said Elizabeth Valentin, a volunteer working that day at the shop.    

The fur was hanging in a garment bag, tucked away from the dressing room. Later in the day, Parsons saw that the bag was completely empty.

"I saw it was flat, and I just kind of freaked. So I looked in the bag and the fur was gone," described Parsons. "If you can get a fur all the way from the back of this store out the front door, with all of these employees here, I imagine you're a pretty accomplished thief."

Parsons continues to scan eBay and Craigslist, hoping the thief will try to resell the fur.

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