VACAVILLE — “Something just wasn’t right. I didn’t feel good about him,” Salvation Army Capt. Jonathan Harvey said.”… leaning up against the wall which we don’t like,” the captain said.It’s a feeling that eventually led to the arrest of 47-year-old Maurice Van Buren of Vacaville, for posing as a Salvation Army bell ringer and stealing money.Van Buren is also a convicted sex offender.
The Salvation Army had initially put him to work on Monday, as a bell ringer. Results of a background check hadn’t come back yet.
But when Capt. Harvey checked up on Van Buren outside of Big Lots on Monday…“… leaning up against the wall which we don’t like,” the captain said.“We had chosen to not put him to work this week, and await for that background check. And when we received that, it was a decision that definitely wasn’t the person for us,” he said.
Harvey took back the Salvation Army kettle and apron from Van Buren.
The background check revealed a conviction for rape and two counts of child molestation.
Salvation Army notified police about Van Buren. He was still collecting money, with a red pot of his own and a homemade Salvation Army sign.
Officers were able to track Van Buren down using his GPS anklet, catching him on his bicycle just 30 minutes after starting their search.
“We just set up a trap, to have him ride into our hands, in which he did,” Vacaville police Sgt. Charlie Spruill said. Source: Fox 40 News
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