PARIS — A thief used fire to steal money from two charity collection boxes at the McDonald’s drive-through windows, it was discovered Wednesday morning.

The boxes were looted of an unknown amount of cash meant for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Both were melted at the bottom using a lighter or other source of flame to get the money inside, Lt. Michael Dailey of the Paris Police Department said.

Dailey said the theft was discovered Wednesday morning as the restaurant was being opened. He said a restaurant official was unsure when the boxes were last emptied. A manager at the restaurant deferred comment to a regional office in New Hampshire, which had not responded to a call by Wednesday night.

Dailey said the culprit or culprits could be charged with theft as well as felony aggravated criminal mischief due to the use of fire and damage to the restaurant’s property. He said the restaurant did not have security cameras at the drive-through.

Ronald McDonald House Charities collects money for improving children’s access to health care, according to its Web site. The charity also allows families with ill children to stay at Ronald McDonald Houses near the hospitals where the children are being treated.

In Maine, there are Ronald McDonald Houses in Bangor and Portland.

Dailey said he’s not aware of a theft from the boxes before.

I don’t know how long they’ve had them out there, but this is the first one I can recall,” he said.

Anyone with any information on the theft is asked to call the Paris Police Department at 743-7448.

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