Two people were arrested Wednesday for allegedly stealing a safe loaded with cash and receipts from the Billerica VFW Post, officials said.
On Monday morning, police went to the VFW after a janitorial employee reported the safe was missing. A bartender confirmed that the safe was there when they left the night before, authorities said.
The “substantially heavy” safe was full of cash and receipts when it was stolen, according to a police spokesman.
Using surveillance footage, investigators learned that a pickup truck was used to steal the safe, police said. Police found the safe discarded and empty in Lowell.
After executing a search warrant on Wright Street, police found cash and evidence related to the break-in. Police recovered “some but not all” of the cash taken from the safe, the spokesman said.
Two men from Lowell, Christopher John Silva, 53, and San Sin, 47, have been arrested. Police are searching for a third suspect, Peter George Poulakos, 32, of Lowell.
A 49-year-old Lowell man is expected to be summoned to court.
Silva and Poulakos are being arraigned Thursday at Lowell District Court. Silva is charged with breaking and entering nighttime for felony, conspiracy, larceny over $1,200, breaking into a depository, and larceny from a building.
Poulakos is facing charges of conspiracy, larceny over $1,200, breaking into a depository and larceny from a building.
Sarah Mesdjian can be reached at sarah.mesdjian@globe.com. Follow her on X @sarahs_journal.