People thought they were helping kids go to camp, instead they were helping fill the pockets of an accused thief, according to police.
A man was jailed on charges he went door-to-door pretending to collect money for the Pennsylvania State Police Camp Cadet program.
Troopers at the Somerset barracks say police don't solicit such donations door-to-door or by telephone in Somerset County, where they arrested 46-year-old David Wayne Brant, of Meyersdale, on Saturday.
The program offers a weeklong summer camp for boys and girls ages 13 to 15. The program promotes leadership skills and also teaches teens about law enforcement and, specifically, what it's like to go through the state police training academy.
The only cost to the camper is a small application fee that is only sometimes collected, according to police.
Troopers are still trying to figure out how much money Brant allegedly collected from unwitting residents and businesses. They want anyone who was solicited to call the Somerset barracks.
Camp Cadet of Somerset County solicits donations through a yearly mailer.
