$200 REWARD Woman reports paper thief

Some laundromat customers were upset because they couldn't buy a paper.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Kristin Thompson's hobby as a shutterbug and her penchant for doing the right thing netted her a $200 reward from The Vindicator.
Thompson, of Niles, works at Brite & amp; White Laundromat, Mahoning Avenue. For months, she watched a man put money into The Vindicator box outside the business and remove a stack of newspapers.
"Some of the customers were getting upset because they weren't getting their newspapers," Thompson said.
Her boss, who usually works weekdays, said she witnessed the same man removing the papers during her shifts.
Visual evidence
One day last month, Thompson decided to snap a picture of the man. She keeps a digital camera, a Christmas gift from her boyfriend, with her at work to click fun shots of regular customers.
Those photos are assembled on a bulletin board inside the business.
"I just love taking pictures," Thompson said.
She took a few shots of the newspaper thief, noted the license plate and called the paper's office. Thompson turned the photos over to newspaper management and the paper sent an employee to watch for the man.
The employee also witnessed the man take the papers and called police. No charges have been filed.
"I just thought it was wrong," Thompson said. "The customers weren't getting their paper and [The Vindicator] was printing the paper and not getting the money for the papers from the box."
Amy Grant, the newspaper's single copy manager, came to the laundry facility Thursday to thank Thompson for her efforts. She presented Thompson with a $200 reward from The Vindicator.
Grant said she hopes the reward discourages others from taking newspapers from the dispensers without paying for them and encourages other business people to report any thefts from boxes that they witness.
Thompson plans to give the money to her two grandsons.
"I feel they deserve it," she said. "They're my pride and joy."