MILWAUKEE, WI - A tree on Milwaukee's west side dressed in items intended to help those in need now comes with a warning after someone took the items and tried to sell them.
“We’re finding things disappearing really fast, real fast," said Laura Sue Mosier.
Which is pretty typical for the items on Mosier's “warming tree, a tree that sits outside her bed and breakfast.
“These are items that are free for everybody," Mosier said.
A couple of times a day and she her husband, Rick, clip donated hats, scarves, and gloves to the tree and give the items away, but lately, Laura said a man has been taking almost everything and neighbors say he’s selling the items in the neighborhood.
“This is a public tree," Mosier said.
"So he’s doing nothing wrong, but he’s taking it for his benefit instead of the free items for everyone to enjoy," she also said.
Because of this Rick and Laura stopped giving the goods away for a few days, and before they could even continue in their effort an entire basket of donated clothes was ripped right off their front porch.
“He just walked away with it," Rick Mosier said. "I can’t believe he just walked away."
The Mosiers said they filed a police report and they haven’t had any issues since. Their goal is to continue giving through the “warming tree” until each cold weather item they’ve collected this year is gone.
