Two Shelton men were arrested Sunday for allegedly stealing money meant for wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
Ron Orszag, a Vietnam veteran from Fairfield who served in the U.S. Navy, was outside the Stop & Shop on Bridgeport Avenue Sunday collecting donations for Operation Gift Card.
The program purchases gift cards for severely injured Marines and soldiers.
At about 5:15 p.m., Orszag, 62, had just sat down at the table when a young-looking man ran up from behind, grabbed a wooden collection box stuffed with about $240 in cash and “ran like a bullet.”
Shocked, Orszag — 6‑feet, 4‑inches tall, 275 pounds — gave chase, along with several others in the parking lot.
“I started running after him and started hollering at him,” Orszag said. “Once he got into the car, I got my cell phone and called police. Who the heck would want to steal from vets wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq?’” Orszag said.
Orszag was able to give Shelton officers a solid description, which they relayed to surrounding towns and cities.
“I described the kid, he was wearing a sweatshirt and he got into a bright copper car with tinted windows,” Orszag said. “Within 15 minutes, Bridgeport had them. They had gone down to buy drugs on Trumbull Avenue,” Orszag said.
Bridgeport police pulled over a car matching the description and allegedly found all the cash, pamphlets for Operation Gift Card — and crack cocaine.
Police identified the duo as Shelton residents Michael Kelly, 23, of Rosewood Lane and Matthew Cristino, 23, of Grandison Place. They were charged with illegal possession of crack cocaine and sixth-degree larceny.
Kelly and Cristino are scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Derby Nov. 30.
Operation Gift Card sends “thank you” kits to veterans who have suffered the worst injuries while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Al Meadows, the program’s organizer.
Meadows, a Vietnam veteran who lives in Huntington, was also at the Stop & Shop Sunday.
Since 2005, different veterans groups from around Connecticut have visited wounded vets in Walter Reed and Bethesda military hospitals, Meadows said. In addition to gift cards, the vets receive Girl Scout cookies and information packets.
Meadows said they have donated $151,600 in four years.
Each month when volunteers visit the veterans, they bring about $3,000 in gift cards and $2,000 worth of donated girl scout cookies, Meadows said.
“I’m surprised,” Meadows said of the theft. “Especially when you’re collecting for the most seriously wounded in the war. I was just surprised.”
Orszag said he was amazed at how quickly Shelton and Bridgeport police were able to nab the suspects.
He’s also angry at the thieves.
“The police asked me at headquarters if I wanted to prosecute,” Orszag said. “I said ‘I’m retired. I’m a Vietnam vet. I have all the time in the world to testify against a scum bag like this.’”
