With Christmas less than two weeks away, police are trying to figure out who broke into an Atlanta community center and stole countless toys and gifts that were supposed to be donated to children for the holiday.
The thieves stole nine bags of toys and three racks of new coats that were collected for students of John Lewis Invictus Academy, community leaders said in Facebook posts after the break-in.
The incident happened at the Butler Street Community Development Center gymnasium on Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, according to an incident report.
The Butler Street CDC chairman had planned to meet with a John Lewis Invictus Academy representative Monday to pass along the donations, according to a Facebook post. When he arrived at the community center that morning, he saw that all of the gifts were gone.
“Everything they planned to give away as holiday gifts was stolen,” the Grove Park Foundation said in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “This, of course, included generosity toward many of our neighbors in Grove Park, including students at John Lewis Invictus Academy.”
The chairman told police he had last seen the presents about 3 p.m. Friday. According to the academy, the coats and gifts were collected with the intention of donating them to 40 students in need.
“We are devastated,” John Lewis Invictus Academy said in a comment on Instagram. “Our students needed these coats, and our families were depending on these toys. Middle school children are just that —children. They still play with toys, ride bikes, and bond with their family and friends over video games. We are doing what we can to replace and restore, but we truly need the kindness of others at this time.”
Police said there were no cameras at the community center and no signs of forced entry. All of the doors appeared to be locked, the police report said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Atlanta police.
About the Author
