A Pennsylvania woman has died after getting her arm stuck in a clothing donation bin. Police believe that the woman, who has been identified as 56-year-old Judy Permar, was attempting to reach down into the bin to steal items when her arm got caught in the contraption. The incident occurred Sunday, February 6.
According to news outlet PennLive, Permar used a stepping stool to reach inside the bin and pull the items out. During her endeavor, the stool collapsed and her arm became lodged in the bin. Officials say Permar arrived at the bin around 2 a.m. Her body wasn’t discovered until about 8:30 a.m.
The coroner has ruled that her death was caused by a combination of blunt force trauma and hypothermia. Permar suffered a broken arm and a broken wrist.
Interestingly enough, police say that Permar pulled up to the bin in a black Hummer. Her vehicle choice would seem to imply that she was well off.
So then why did she attempt to steal from a donation bin? That’s a question that still has authorities puzzled, especially since it likely wasn’t her first time doing it. According to police chief Brian Hollerbush, authorities received a call back in November about a woman in a black Hummer stealing from a donation drop box.
But for as strange as it is, the Washington Post reports that this isn’t the first time someone has died while attempting to steal from a donation bin. The news outlet points to a similar incident that took place in October 2015, when a 58-year-old New Jersey man was found dead after he allegedly tried to steal items from the drop box. Other donation bin fatalities have occurred in San Bernardino County and Sydney.
While it’s certainly tragic that people have lost their lives this way, there is a karmic element to it. Stealing is never okay. Furthermore, stealing from a charity of any sort is the lowest of the low.