GULFPORT, Miss.- A Salvation Army bell ringer who reported to police that a man ran off with her kettle of charity cash during her shift has been arrested for lying about the incident.
Police Chief Leonard Papania said in a news release that 23-year-old Michelle Shantel Pope was arrested Tuesday and charged with petit larceny and false reporting of a crime after police found out she helped orchestrate the whole robbery.
Pope initially reported the theft on Dec. 9 telling police an unknown black male approached her, pushed her and stole the kettle containing an unknown amount of money.
Papania said their follow-up investigation showed that Pope was in on the scheme.
Police are still looking for the man who ran away with the kettle.
