What Kind of Person Does This?

James Griffin III seems like the type of man you'd want to know. Not only is he ringing the Salvation Army bell for the holidays, he's also the kind of guy that helps elderly ladies through doors. And it's that action that he says led to someone stealing his iconic red kettle.

Captain Duane Burleigh says a few words at the Salvation Army's annual kick-off of the Christmas Red Kettle campaign outside of a Kroger store on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013 in Harrisonburg, Va. (AP Photo/Daily News-Record, Nikki Fox)

Griffin said he was helping a grandmother with four grandchildren get through some double doors this week at the store he was stationed at, the Belk store at Hanes Mall in Winstom-Salem, North Carolina. When he turned back around to continue ringing his bell, that's when he noticed his kettle -- which contained about $50 -- was gone.

Police Lt. Brad Yandell told the Associated Press that there's no video evidence of the crime.

But here's where it gets even more frustrating: Maj. James Allison, commander of the Salvation Army of Winston-Salem, told the AP that if the thief would have just asked, they would have helped him out.

There is a happy ending, however. The store manager where Griffin was posted was sure to drop in $100 when the ringer returned to his post on Wednesday.

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