Relief money stolen

Money intended to help the relief efforts of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was reported stolen from the offices of the IU Student Association Friday afternoon.\nThe money had been collected during a fundraiser for the Red Cross and other charities. \nIt was counted Oct. 9, put in an envelope and locked in a file cabinet at IUSA's offices in the Student Activities Tower of the Indiana Memorial Union, IUSA President Jake Oakman, a senior, said. Sometime between Tuesday and Friday, $1,300 disappeared, he said.\nIUSA vice president Jeff Wuslich, a sophomore, reported to the police at 4 p.m. Friday that nearly $1,300 was missing.\nIUSA had raised $7,000 total for relief efforts, through the Miss A Meal program, a car wash and a coin-bucket fundraiser.\nIU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger said the department is investigating.\n"Investigators will be interviewing people who have access to the office to at least narrow down the time of the theft and who may have had access to the money," Minger said.\nThe money was locked in a filing cabinet in the IUSA office. Whoever took the money had access to both, Oakman said.\n"I never thought someone would steal money from that charity," Oakman said. "You don't think someone's going to go in and steal the money."\nThe security code for the IUSA office door has since been changed.\nWuslich said he could not comment on the incident because of the investigation.\nOakman said security measures for the office were discussed at the IUSA executives' weekly meeting Tuesday evening.\nDespite the theft, Oakman said IUSA still plans to donate $7,000 to disaster relief efforts.\n"It's important to know we're going to make up the $1,300," Oakman said. "We're going to still donate the full amount to the charities, so students don't have to worry about their money being stolen"