A 30-year-old man from Chesapeake, USA, angered the entire neighborhood when he stole a jar of money containing only $40 from two children who were selling lemonade outside their house last Wednesday.
“I was particularly surprised that it happened. I was a little upset that someone would do that to us,” 10-year-old Rebecca Caldwell lamented in an interview with local media outlet WAVY on Monday.
Last Wednesday, the little girl and her younger brother, Josh, were taking advantage of the nice weather to sell lemonade outside their home in Chesapeake, Virginia, when a man pulled up in front of them in his Toyota, according to security camera footage reported by CNN.
Except that when Rebecca started pouring a drink for the man she thought was her next customer, the latter would instead grab the bowl containing the day's collected money, about $40 USD (about $55 CAD).
“He came up really well. Then he [a pris le pot]“But my back was turned so I didn't really realize it,” the little girl said.
The duo allegedly ran inside to find their mother, Anita Caldwell, who called police to report the suspect, a man in his mid-30s with a goatee and tattoos.
If she doesn't want to see him in jail for his actions, she would like him to be brought to justice so he can learn a lesson, and maybe do some community service.
“They're just innocent kids here, you know, running lemonade stands,” she sighed to WAVY.
The two ambitious kids ran lemonade stands, but also pastries, on several occasions, to raise money for their older sister, and eventually buy a dirt bike and a four-wheeler, to follow the lead of other neighbors.
“I don’t think it’s really about the money. They love doing this, being here and seeing people. We don’t want that to be taken away from them. We want it to be fun and innocent,” said Ryan Caldwell, the children’s father.
In the neighborhood, many citizens came to show their support for the children, some even leaving them generous tips, while their father's colleague himself replaced the stolen $40 from his own pocket.
