Salvation Army Bell Ringer Attacked in Florida Shopping Plaza
A 68-year-old Salvation Army bell ringer in Hillsborough County, Florida, is speaking out after she was attacked during an attempted robbery in a busy shopping plaza. Thankfully, two good Samaritans came to her aid.
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The incident occurred on Monday afternoon as Billie Richert was finishing her shift ringing bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign at the Publix store on Boyette Road in Riverview. As she was walking to her car, a man approached her and demanded her car keys.
“You think you’re going to have time to react, but you really don’t. It happened so quickly,” Richert recounted.
Surveillance video released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office shows the suspect, later identified as Robert Moore, sitting on the curb. Richert was passing by when he demanded her keys. In response, she warned him that she would use pepper spray, but he proceeded to throw her to the ground.
Fortunately, in the crowded parking lot, customers heard Richert’s screams. One courageous individual, a former U.S. Army member who preferred to remain anonymous, caught the suspect and detained him. Another man also assisted in holding the suspect down until deputies arrived.
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“I could have broken a bone. I could have cracked my skull. He could have stabbed me,” Richert expressed. “But then I had a friend that I didn’t even know who caught him and detained him. He was my angel.”
The suspect, Moore, has been booked into jail and is now facing charges including battery and robbery.
Richert, determined not to let the incident steal her joy, shared her gratitude for the good Samaritans who came to her aid.
“For somebody to get involved in something that they know nothing about and to help somebody, especially an elderly person. It was fantastic. It really was. Thank you,” she said.
The Salvation Army bell ringers are known for their charitable work during the holiday season, collecting donations to support those in need. Despite the attack, Richert remains resilient, determined to continue spreading joy and making a positive impact in the community.
