A bell-ringer for the Salvation Army was mugged Tuesday night and her purse taken.

The incident occurred outside the J.C.

Penney store at the Selma Mall and happened shortly after 8 p.m.

The victim was a 17-year-old girl. She had just finished her shift as a kettle worker, said Capt. Todd Brewer, director of the Salvation Army.

Brewer said the girl stepped outside of the store to see if her ride had arrived when a group of juveniles approached her and proceeded to steal her purse.

Morgan said there were injuries to the girl’s wrist from the incident. The contents of the purse were found strewn across the parking lot.

The Salvation Army kettle was not robbed because the money had just been picked up.

These types of thieves are looking for an easy score, Brewer said.

They are looking for people, mainly women, with small packages and purses that are easy to snatch and run off with.

The store employees at J.C. Penney were extremely helpful in helping with the victim, Brewer said.

According to the daily incident report, the time police responded to the incident was 8:34 p.m. Morgan said the call was placed at 8:20 p.m.

In between the time that Brewer said the theft took place and the time the police showed up, the incident report showed that there was an unlawful breaking and entering of a vehicle at Selma Mall at 8:16 p.m. and criminal mischief reported at Selma High School at 8:20 p.m.

Brewer said he understood that the police have a lot going on due to Christmas.

When asked the length of time it took police to respond, Morgan said he only handled the report and passed it onto investigators.

A call to Police Chief Ed Green’s office failed to get any response. His secretary said he was out of the office for the day.

Brewer said that the incident served as an important lesson to people.