$2M in toys, nearly $250K in cash go missing from Salvation Army

Directors fired as $2M in toys, nearly $250K in cash go missing from Salvation Army centres.

Mere days into its high-profile Christmas kettle drive and a busy donation season, the Salvation Army is grappling with two separate scandals that have led to senior personnel losing their jobs.

On Tuesday, the Salvation Army in Toronto announced $2-million worth of toys had disappeared from one of its major warehouses over a two-year period. It ordered an internal audit into the “irregularities” at the Railhouse Road warehouse and on Monday fired executive director David Rennie, said Major John Murray, spokesman for the Salvation Army’s Ontario Central East Division.

A day earlier, news broke in Ottawa that the executive director of the Salvation Army Booth Centre had been fired after an internal audit found nearly $250,000 had gone missing over an eight-year period. Perry Rowe had headed up the centre for the past eight years.

Both cases have been handed off to their respective police departments — no charges have been laid in either case.

“I think it’s important for people to understand that in both cases … the Salvation Army has been victimized,” said Maj. Murray, who characterized this as a “troubling time” for the organization in terms of leadership.

Full story: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/11/21/directors-fired-as-2m-in-to...

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Comment by Christopher on November 24, 2012 at 7:22pm: Toys found after Salvation Army says $2M in goods missing

Toronto police say they have recovered a cache of toys after more than $2 million in goods were allegedly stolen from the Salvation Army.

The stolen goods, 146 skids worth of items including toys, strollers and food among other things, were recovered Friday at a warehouse in Brampton, Ont.

The goods were then moved out of the warehouse by three tractor-trailers and are being inventoried by police before they are returned to the charity.

"We commend the Toronto Police Service for what appears to be timely progress in its investigation and wish it continued success," the charity said in a statement Saturday afternoon.

"Further, we very much appreciate the response of individuals and companies that have stepped forward with donations at our time of need."

Salvation Army spokesman John Murray said last week that the apparent theft was discovered in August.

Earlier this month, the Salvation Army fired the executive director of its Ottawa warehouse after an internal audit revealed that $240,000 was missing.

Police are investigating.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/11/24/salvation-ar...

Comment by Christopher on November 21, 2012 at 11:43am: I wonder if the same sentiment from Major Murray will be expressed in this situation:

The amount gone missing - $2-million worth of toys - as opposed to $240,000 - wasn’t immediately noticeable, because the Salvation Army is a multi-million dollar organization in Ottawa."

How do you not notice; $2-million worth of toys 'going missing' - 'disappeared from one of its major warehouses'?

“I think it’s important for people to understand that in both cases…the Salvation Army has been victimized,” said Maj. Murray.

The money and toys which 'they' have come about, have been given to 'them' - and I don't care what Major Murray says - it was donated - and he talks about the Salvation Army being victimized?

Is this Major suffering from shell shock - or perhaps too many years of listening to the bells, dressed up as a Santa?