Signed Jalen Hurts photograph stolen during ALS charity event in Philadelphia
The stolen photograph, worth around $500, was helping to raise thousands of dollars for various ALS organizations.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An ALS charity event was cut short after the grand prize, a signed and framed Jalen Hurts photograph, was stolen Saturday night in Philadelphia.
The event was held in a private room at Xfinity Live! for the National 50 in 1 Bar Crawl for ALS.
"In Philadelphia, we had the largest crawl in the nation where we raised over $10,000," said Larry Kaplan, who worked as a volunteer for the event.
The photograph, worth around $500, was helping to raise thousands of dollars for various ALS organizations. Before the group could pick a raffle winner, the photograph was stolen off the charity table.
"Security did see the girl leave the venue with the piece. She said that she had won it. We weren't going to draw the winner until 10-11 o'clock that night. She got into either an Uber or Lyft at the corner of the venue," said Kaplan. "The patients and the families are devastated someone would steal from a charity. I have no idea how much we lost for the organizations because we couldn't sell more raffle tickets."
It's not only awareness about the theft, but the cause the groups want people to know.
ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease, destroys nerve cells in the brain and spine. The disease has no cure.
"It's just very disappointing that someone would feel they can just walk away with something that they have no right to, especially something that is going to benefit a fantastic organization doing fantastic things for people suffering from such a horrible disease," said Jessica Sweeney, who attended the event with her husband, who has ALS.
The money helped raise funds for ALS Hope Foundation at Temple Hospital, Hope Loves Company, which provides free support and camps for children of parents with ALS, and Team Gleason, the organization started by ex-NFL player, Steve Gleason who has ALS.
Kaplan is confident the 16 x 20 photograph will be found. It has a one-of-a-kind hologram number of WA570204.
"We want an apology to these families. ALS is a fatal disease. It's a horrible thing that these people live with," said Kaplan. "We want this girl to understand what these people live with every day and what their families deal with every day, and what she took away."
The group did file a police report and it's being investigated, but as of Monday, there is no word on any leads.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS or contact ALS Hope Foundation at www.ALSHF.org.
