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SALT LAKE CITY — Students on the Layton High School debate team are sporting fanny packs at the Utah State Fair this year after $500 worth of donations were stolen from their money box Sunday night.
Alex Nielson said he and a friend turned away from the booth for 5 minutes, and that was all it took.
"We made the transaction, go back to the money box and see there's like $2 and a $20 bill left. We were like, 'Oh, boy, something's wrong,'" Nielson said.
The group is raising $5,000 to cover the cost of trips to tournaments across the country. This is the first year the team is selling donated sunglasses for profit each day of the fair.
Nielson admits the theft is a huge setback.
"Right after school you're coming here, you're doing homework at the fair, so a lot of hard work down the drain," he said.
The group made a police report, but so far there are no leads. Nielson said the group hopes to reach its goal by the end of the fair so it can participate in a tournament next month in Texas.
"The money is going towards to get kids into those tournaments and get a better education and scholarship opportunities," Nielson said.
A donation website has been created for those who wish to donate online.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
