A heartless thief took a money jar containing $40 from a children’s lemonade stand in Virginia, shocking footage shows.
Rebecca Caldwell, 10, and her younger brother Josh were selling lemonade in front of their home in Chesapeake last week when a silver Toyota sedan pulled up, security footage from the home shows.
A tattooed man in his 30s steps out of the car and Rebecca begins to pour an ice-cold glass of the drink for who she thought was her next customer.
But the crook instead grabbed the jar with their hard-earned cash and took off, video shows.
“We already got $40. It seemed pretty good, and then the guy came,” Rebecca told WAVY. “He acted really nice. He was just saying, like, ‘Nice, y’all are doing a lemonade stand.’ And then he was getting pretty close, but my back was turned so I didn’t really realize.”
Rebecca and Josh ran inside and told their mom they had been robbed. Their mother called Chesapeake police.
“I just wanted to find out who would do that, because they’re just innocent kids out here, you know, having lemonade stands,” said Annetta Caldwell, Rebecca and Josh’s mother.
The siblings have had several lemonade and bake sales in their front yard in the past, and thought the day was a perfect opportunity to make some money for their older sister, who is saving up for a dirt bike.
“It was like a hot summer day, so I thought it would be nice for people to have lemonade,” said Rebecca.
The children’s father, Ryan Caldwell, said the worst part was not losing the money but having their fun ruined.
“I don’t think it’s really even about the money.They just like doing it and being out here and seeing people,” he told the outlet.
“We don’t want that stolen away from them, you know — we want the fun, the innocence, to remain. So that’s probably the worst part — the stolen innocence involved,” he said.
Annetta Caldwell said part of her wants a chance to speak with the thief. The family has filed a police report and has been in regular contact with authorities since the incident.
“They’ve had a lot of follow-up with us,” Ryan Caldwell said. “They’ve been communicating well and stuff … they’re very interested in helping and seeing this resolved.”
Rebecca, however, has chosen to emphasize forgiveness.
“We want him to become a Christian and have a good life, but we would say not go to jail, more community service, stuff like that,” she said.
The support from the Caldwells’ community has been heartwarming, the parents said.
Someone from Ryan’s work replaced the $40 and viewers told WAVY they plan to mail the children checks.
“There are always good things that can come out of bad situations,” Annetta said.
Rebecca and Josh plan on setting up another lemonade stand this Saturday.
