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Town Steps Up After Girl Scouts' Cookie Money Is Stolen

CARY, Ill. (CBS) - A northwest suburban Girl Scout troop experienced the worst and best in people after someone stole more than $400 in proceeds from Saturday cookie sales, but contributions on Monday more than made up for the loss.

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Cary-based Troop 1347 was selling cookies at the Walgreens at 500 W. Northwest Highway on Saturday morning, Cary Police Chief Steven Casstevens said. The troop was trying to raise money for a rock-climbing troop.

But about 1 p.m., they were packing up their tables and chairs, and turned around to discover that someone had made off with the bag containing their profits for the day -- about $417.

"We could not believe somebody would steal from Girl Scouts," troop leader Cindy McDonnell told CBS 2's Pamela Jones.

"I was just so upset.  It made me think that, wow, some people in this world have no common decency," Girl Scout Kira Krug said.

No one saw the theft and the Walgreens store has no surveillance cameras, so police had no description of the thief, Casstevens said.

It turns out there is a silver lining to the weekend's dark cloud. A local businessman wrote the troop a check for $417 to replace the money that was stolen, Casstevens said. And the chief himself cut the Girl Scouts a check for $417, which in turn was matched by the union that represents his officers.

"That's very reflective of what a giving community Cary is," Casstevens said.

Thanks to the generosity, the troop's field trip is covered. With the extra money they're receiving, the ladies say they'll donate to The Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts.

As of late Monday, there were still no suspects in the theft.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

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