SOMERS — A Kenosha County nature sanctuary is speaking out after catching someone on camera repeatedly stealing from its donation boxes.
Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary & Arboretum in Somers is a 90-acre nonprofit that relies heavily on community donations to support its trails, education programs and conservation efforts.
Executive Director TJ Leveque said they first spotted a man on their property in late May and early June.
“We kind of gave him the benefit of the doubt at first, but then we saw a wire in his hand, going to the donation boxes and going back into his car," Leveque said.
After reviewing several nights of footage, staff realized it wasn’t a one-time incident. The same man was seen multiple times approaching both of their donation boxes. Police were notified, and the suspect has been arrested.
As of now, no formal charges have been filed, but the case is under review.
"It felt kind of horrifying that this happened and this kind of thing hasn't happened before..it was just unbelievable," Leveque said. "We get by with donations and the generosity of the community, and a big part of that is on-site donations."
Hawthorn Hollow draws around 50,000 visitors a year and offers a wide range of programs, from family classes and field trips to maple sugaring.
Visitors like Grace Bird and Marquesa Branch, said they love to visit and walk the trails around Hawthorn Hollow.
"We've been like looking for places like this because it's beautiful here and this has been so pretty to see," Bird said.
Branch was also disheartened to hear about the thefts.
"It's been really interesting to be able to go read the different things that it talks about here," Branch said. "There's a lot of history here and it's super cool that they were able to preserve it so much."
Despite the incident, the sanctuary’s team said their mission hasn’t changed and they’re hopeful the community will continue to support the place they love.
Hawthorn Hollow will also host the 2025 Pike River Concert Series this Friday at 6p.m.
Want to help? Visit Hawthorn Hollow’s website for ways to donate or volunteer.
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