Thieves Steal Christmas Toys From Community Center
Gifts donated by Toys for Tots were stolen.
— -- After hundreds of children's Christmas presents were stolen from a Pittsburgh community center, residents and businesses in the area immediately stepped in to help.
Christmas gifts for 400 children -- donated by Toys for Tots for Pittsburgh families -- were stolen Monday evening from a community center, where they were being stored before being distributed, according to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.
"It's disgusting," Pittsburgh Police Zone 5 Cmdr. Jason Lando told ABC News affiliate WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh. "We never condone theft of any kind but three days before Christmas and you're stealing from little kids?"
As officers investigated the burglary, they also took inventory of the stolen gifts. The police went to the public for help, asking them to drop off gift cards at the police station so officers could buy gifts to replenish the donations in time.
By Tuesday afternoon, police said they had plenty of donations. Toys For Tots also provided a $10,000 donation to replenish toys, police said.
"There has been an amazing response from the public," the police said. "No more donations are required."
Lando told the media Tuesday night that there had been a steady stream of people in the station all day, donating gifts cards and presents.
"Businesses have been dropping off toys by the carload. I don't have an exact count of how many people have donated thus far, but we have well in excess of $15,000 in gift cards, the vast majority of which are from Target," he said. "In addition to that, Toys for Tots just came through an hour ago with a replacement truckload of toys."
"It was so moving to see a steady stream of people in the police station all day, waiting in line to drop off their gifts cards," he added. "It is a testament to the amazing people that live in this city and it makes me very proud to be from Pittsburgh!"
Henry Finney's daughter will receive two gifts from the new donations, according to WTAE-TV.
"When you don’t have nothing, it is beautiful, a beautiful thing," he told WTAE-TV.
No suspects are in custody, police say. The investigation is ongoing.
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