PORT ANGELES — The co-owner of the espresso stand along U.S. Highway 101 that lost $100 in Habitat for Humanity donations in a robbery last week has two words for community members who have replenished the funds, and then some.
“I just want to say thank you,” said Rebeca Hanson, co-owner of Shot in the Dark Espresso at 1137 U.S. Highway 101.
In the days following a Sunday Peninsula Daily News story about a March 27 robbery, Hanson said customers made a point of dropping cash in the tip jar to replace the donations that had been stolen.
One man even wrote a check for $100, Hanson added, bringing the total donations raised to $150.
“All said and done, it was more than we had originally,” Hanson said.
The robbers made off with a tablet computer and $250 in cash from the register, $100 of which was in an envelope marked “Habitat for Humanity” and bound for the Clallam County chapter of the international nonprofit.
The $100 had been collected from tips given on Fridays in March.
“The community really reached out to us and supported us,” Hanson said.
“I couldn’t have hoped for a better response. It’s been amazing.”
Hanson said she hand-delivered the money to Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County on Wednesday night after work.
Hanson said she plans to continue giving tips collected Fridays to local charities and nonprofits.
For April, Hanson said Fridays’ tips will be given to the Captain Joseph House Foundation, which is building a respite for families of military servicemen and -women killed in action since Sept. 11, 2001.
Port Angeles Police Sgt. Barb McFall said the investigation into the robbery continues.
Hanson has said the robber or robbers seemed to have popped the door to the stand open with a credit card or screwdriver, as the door itself was not damaged.
Hanson said stand co-owner Sam Davies has since installed a deadbolt lock on the door.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
