Hundreds of Metro Detroit veterans group's donation bins vandalized in recent weeks

Detroit police are now investigating after dozens of donation bins intended for a local veteran's organization were vandalized.  

The Clinton Township-based Veterans and America First Foundation says the damage has escalated.

Paul Dehem, the founder of the Veterans and America First Foundation, says they have about 200 of these donation bins scattered across Metro Detroit. He says that in recent weeks, 100 of these donation bins have either been vandalized or stolen.

The latest incident occurred last week at the intersection of West Vernor Highway and Military Street in Southwest Detroit.

There are new bins now, but the founder of the veteran's organization has this message for the people responsible.

"We would like them to stop. Who's ever targeting it? Please just stop," Dehem said.

According to Aiman Kawas, the director of the company that services the bins, the destruction is so severe in some cases it renders the bins useless.

"The bins, they pry them up with crowbars, break the doors, or they pry the locks, and then they take all the contents," Kawas said.

It's also expensive.

A single bin costs $1,000 to replace.

"The less bins we have, the less donations we have, the more they disappear," Dehem said.

More importantly, it hurts veterans and others in need.

"I see the need; I lived it. I've lived in the shelter; I did those things, so I wanted to be part of that and help other veterans," said David Mann, veteran liaison with Veterans and America First Foundation.

The donations end up here at the organization's thrift store in Clinton Township.

"You're trying to help the veterans, and somebody's doing stuff like that really kind of hurts my heart, you know," Mann said.

The Fourth Precinct in Detroit is investigating.

"I just spoke up with them this morning, and they're following up on the case. Hopefully, they will pull up some camera footage and get us some more evidence," Kawas said.