Santa Rosa Police Uncover Stolen Donations to animal rescue as well as Illegal Firearms in Shocking Investigation (VIDEO/AIDIO) Click HERE:
What began as a routine theft investigation into $18,000 in missing donation checks took a startling turn when Santa Rosa police uncovered a locked suitcase inside a home containing a fully automatic military assault rifle and a silencer. The case, which initially focused on stolen mail, has now deepened into a more complex mystery.
The investigation began on Tuesday when two donors who had mailed checks to Dogwood Animal Rescue, a nonprofit dog charity, reached out to request donation receipts. The organization’s executives soon realized the funds had never arrived at their rented mailbox inside a UPS store on Fulton Road. Upon urging donors to check their bank statements, it was discovered that the checks had been deposited into an unknown account. Suspicion quickly turned to the UPS store itself, and the nonprofit alerted Santa Rosa police.
By Wednesday, detectives with the Property Crimes Investigations Unit had zeroed in on Jennifer Chenier, 36, a Santa Rosa resident employed at the UPS store. Chenier had access to the nonprofit’s mailbox, and investigators suspected she was involved in the missing donations.
Shortly before 3 p.m. on February 12, plainclothes detectives moved in and arrested Chenier at work. A search of her vehicle and residence in the 2200 block of Dancing Penny Way confirmed their suspicions: 30 stolen donation checks worth more than $18,000, along with mail stolen from other rental mailboxes, were found.
The discovery has sparked outrage on social media, with many people expressing their anger and disappointment that someone would steal from a charity dedicated to helping sick and homeless dogs. Comments on KSRO’s social media pages have been particularly furious, condemning the theft from such a compassionate organization.
Dogwood Animal Rescue, a Sonoma County-based, volunteer-driven nonprofit that provides medical care, foster placement, and adoption services, has urged donors who have not received tax acknowledgments to contact them at info@dogwoodanimalrescue.org.
The investigation is ongoing, and police are encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
