Burglars steal money for veterans at Crosby bar

The Black Dog Bar and Grille on Highway 6 north of Crosby was broken into sometime late Wednesday or early Thursday morning.

For Gail Gustafson, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Al, it wasn't the loss of change from the cash register, or the stolen liquor bottles and pull tabs, or the damage done to an office window that bothered her. It was that the thieves made off with donations jars set up to support two veterans' causes.

One jar was for donations to bring to Crosby The Moving Wall, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington that is being displayed Thursday-Monday at Crosby Memorial Park on Serpent Lake.

The other jar was for donations to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans to purchase items such as towels, toiletries, bottled water, for veterans who have fallen on hard times.

While it was only about $100 stolen between the two jars, Gustafson said what upset her is someone would steal from two worthy causes.

"That I guess out of everything is what really ticks me off," Gustafson said. "They didn't only steal from us they stole from the veterans. I really hope they get caught. I hope they have a conscience, or their friends have a conscience, and turn themselves in."

Everything damaged or stolen from the restaurant itself is replaceable, Gustafson said, and the Black Dog Bar and Grille would be open for business Thursday.

The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Department is investigating the burglary.