POLICE Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Police Surprise Missouri Family after Burglar Steals Kids' "Chore Jar" Money

When Des Peres Department of Public Safety Detective Trent Koppel asked members of the department to help fill two new tip jars to replace those stolen from two local kids, every single member of the department made a contribution.

October 19, 2018
Police Surprise Missouri Family after Burglar Steals Kids' "Chore Jar" Money

Des Peres Department of Public Safety Detective Trent Koppel asked members of the department to help fill two new tip jars to replace those stolen from two local kids. Image courtesy of Des Peres Department of Public Safety.

2 min to read


When Veronica Zarfas—mother of eight-year-old Liam and 12-year-old Isabella—entered her Des Peres, MO, home, she discovered that she had been burglarized.

The worst part, according to WDAF-TV , was the thieves made off with her kids' "chore jar" containing loose change they received in compensation for performing odd jobs around the house.

Ad Loading...

The kids were understandably upset at their loss. So too, was Des Peres Department of Public Safety Detective Trent Koppel.

So Koppel asked members of the department to help fill two new tip jars—every single member of the department made a contribution.

A few days later, Koppel was joined by members of the police and fire departments outside the Zarfas home. Koppel presented the jars to the kids, along with some small gifts.

Detective Koppel told POLICE Magazine via Facebook "chat" that eight officers were present at the time of the presentation.

"We are a department of 53 most of which have children at home no different from these," Koppel said. "Each person in the department provided something to the cause as it was important to make sure the family knew that each of us were equally invested in this case and wanted to make it right."

Ad Loading...

Koppel added, "We operate under a Community Involved Public Safety platform and without each other no one succeeds. So to us this family was merely an extension of our own and we needed to make sure they knew we were there no matter what."

Mrs. Zarfas told the local news station that she was overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of the department.

Ad Loading...

More Patrol

Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactic & TIps against a black background and an illuminated police car light bar. Headline for Tips for Watching the Hands
Sponsoredby Wayne ParhamDecember 5, 2025

Tips for Watching the Hands

How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.

Read More →
Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips with yellow headline 10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops.
Sponsoredby Wayne ParhamDecember 3, 2025

10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops

What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.

Read More →
Screenshot of compute screen showing a blurred license plate compared to an image where the image has been enhanced to show the numbers and letters.
Patrolby Edited by StaffNovember 25, 2025

Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software

Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Background orange tinted image of southern California with pushpin marking Burbank. Headline reads K-9 Killed by Gunman, Burbank Police Department
PatrolNovember 24, 2025

Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops

A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.

Read More →
Thumbnail image with blue and red police lights against a black background, large POLICE logo, headline for From the Show Floor: InVeris
Patrolby Wayne ParhamNovember 23, 2025

From the Show Floor: InVeris

In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.

Read More →
Thumbnail image for video series POLICE From the Show Floor featuring Polaris Government & Defense.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamNovember 19, 2025

From the Show Floor: Polaris Government & Defense

Learn about Polaris Government & Defense in this video as POLICE visits their show booth to discover their side-by-sides and the advantages they provide for agencies.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
2026 ford police brochure
SponsoredNovember 17, 2025

2026 Ford Pro™ Police & Special Service Vehicles Guide is Available for Download

Ford Pro™ meets the needs of law-enforcement agencies

Read More →
black background width image of police lights in middle and headline Dashcam Video Officers rescue Man from Burning Car
PatrolNovember 17, 2025

Dashcam Video Shows Officers Rescue Man from Burning Car

Dashcam video released by a New Jersey police department shows two of its officers rescuing an unconscious man from a burning car after a crash.

Read More →
blue background with image of a red dot sight and also second image of the red dot on a handgun lower right
PatrolNovember 17, 2025

Aimpoint COA optic + A-CUT Named Red Dot of the Year

The Aimpoint COA optic + A-CUT system has been named Red Dot of the Year by Guns & Ammo magazine. The new optic system was introduced in January 2025.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Thumbnail for video series POLICE From the Show Floor, with headline text featuring Axon
Patrolby Wayne ParhamNovember 16, 2025

From the Show Floor: Axon

Join POLICE as we visit with Abi Stock, of Axon, to learn about the company’s latest technology offerings, such as Axon Assistant, Form One, and the DFR integration with Skydio.

Read More →