Toronto police are looking for two men who allegedly stole a poppy donation box from a west end Tim Hortons.

Police said the Royal Canadian Legion box was taken from a location on Bloor Street West near Gladstone Avenue at around 6:20 p.m. on Saturday. It's unclear how much money was inside the box at the time.

Police say one man took the donation box while the other watched, then the pair fled.

Toronto Police Const. Victor Kwong said the suspects "appear to be stealing from those who have protected us," but he cautioned it may be an issue of addiction rather than a crime of opportunity.

Kwong called on both men to come forward and explain their actions to police.

Both men are described as being aged 18 to 25, and both were caught on a security camera during the incident.

Anyone with information about the alleged theft is asked to contact police directly or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Thieves have targeted poppy donation boxes in the past in Toronto and across Canada. In 2012, a 34-year-old man was caught after stealing three poppy boxes from Tim Hortons. Last year, York Regional Police charged a 50-year-old man after he stole a collection box from a Canadian Tire store in Aurora.