Accused of Stealing From Children’s Charity — Judge Sets $100 Cash Bond

TROY, Mo. — A Troy man is facing new theft charges after police say he stole a charity donation box from inside a local restaurant, according to court records filed in Lincoln County Circuit Court.

Court documents state that on January 2, 2026, Troy Police were notified of a theft at Denny’s, located at 1 Merlin Drive in Troy, involving a donation box from the restaurant’s “No Child Hungry” charity campaign. An officer reviewed security video from the business and identified the suspect as Austin J. Waggoner.

Austin J. Waggoner - charged with stealing charity donations from a Troy Denny's; bond set at $100 cash-only.

According to the probable cause statement, the donation box contained approximately five dollars at the time it was taken from the checkout counter. The officer later located Waggoner at a residence in Troy on January 11, 2026, where he was taken into custody.

Court filings note that when Waggoner asked why he was being arrested, he was told it was for the incident at Denny’s. Records indicate Waggoner then stated that many people steal from Denny’s and believed it would be acceptable to take the money because of the small amount involved.

Waggoner is charged with Stealing, a Class A misdemeanor under RSMo 570.030.

Bond in the case was set by Associate Circuit Judge Michael R. Jacobs at $100 cash only.

Waggoner is scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Circuit Court for a Counsel Status Hearing on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 1:35 p.m., in Associate Division III, located at 45 Business Park Drive in Troy.

Court records also show Waggoner has prior theft-related convictions in Lincoln County:

• In 2013, Waggoner was charged with stealing property valued under $500 and later entered a guilty plea in 2014. He received a 90-day jail sentence, with execution suspended, followed by two years of supervised probation, 50 hours of community service, and court costs.

  
  

• In 2025, Waggoner again pleaded guilty to stealing following a charge filed by Troy Police. He was sentenced to five days in jail, with credit for time served, and ordered to pay court costs.

All allegations outlined above are based on court filings. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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This article was written by John Eads.

For more information, please contact Lincoln CountyWatch.

All information provided is based on available sources and is subject to change. Allegations mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Lincoln CountyWatch does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided.

Source: Lincoln County Circuit Court records; Troy Police Department.