Conscience Causes Christian Store Thief to Give Back What He Stole

Dave Newbart / Aimee Herd reporting : May 16, 2005
Chicago Sun-Times

(Oak Park, Illinois) Former Christian bookstore owner Bob Walsh says he has lost thousands of dollars to shoplifters in his store over the years. Even those who have stolen Bibles! But last week's envelope in the mail stunned him as it's contents revealed twenty $100 bills. The money was accompanied by an apology that read, "This is money for the items I stole from your store many years ago…I'm very sorry."

"Whoever heard of paying back for something that you stole?" exclaimed Walsh. "Maybe someone who stole one of those Bibles actually read it." According to the Chicago Sun-Times the sender knew enough to mail it to Walsh's home address, since he hasn't owned the Logos Christian bookstore in Oak Park since 2001.

On the same day the money arrived in the mail, Walsh received a large bill for his new heating and cooling unit and used half of the $2,000 received to pay it. His wife, Marietta, wants to give her cut to charity. "She's says it's found money and we should give it away," says Walsh.