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The deputies who saved Christmas

In a feat worthy of a holiday TV special, officers scramble to buy new toys for needy kids after a thief strikes.

By JACOB H. FRIES
Published December 23, 2005

LARGO - A Grinch or two tried to steal Christmas from a group of needy children, authorities said Thursday.

But the cruel trick didn't work.

Pinellas sheriff's deputies arrived at the Police Athletic League office Wednesday morning to find that a bunch of toys had been stolen, including remote-controlled cars, trucks, dolls and video games worth about $700.

The thief, or thieves, it appeared, had crawled through a window to the PAL office, which organizes sports and after-school programs at the Rainbow Village public housing complex off 134th Avenue.

The toys were discovered missing at 9:33 a.m., less than four hours before the gifts were to be distributed at a big party at Jack Russell Stadium, said sheriff's spokesman Mac McMullen.

The clock was ticking, so a couple of deputies sprang into action.

They found help at the Lealman Family Center, Jim's Harley-Davidson, the Lealman Fire Department and Suncoast Fire and Rescue out of Indian Rocks Beach.

New toys were bought.

Christmas was saved.

The party, organized by PAL and the Boys and Girls Club, was a success, with about 350 children attending, said Jerry Babcock, executive director of the sheriff's PAL.

"My hat is off to the deputies," Babcock said.

Babcock saw a a positive side to the burglary. The reaction among children at the Rainbow Village housing complex revealed how connected they have grown to PAL's programs, he said. They wanted to help deputies arrest the culprits and gave information about two possible teenage suspects.

"They were irate that kids from the neighborhood would come in and take toys that were coming back to the neighborhood," he said. "These little kids were saying, "Don't mess with the PAL.' "

No one has been arrested, but Babcock said he thinks the thief is a teenager - a child, really, who wanted a Christmas of his own - and not a Grinch.

"He stole boys' toys, probably assuming he wasn't going to get any," Babcock said. "It's truly sad that someone has to break in somewhere to steal a Christmas toy."

[Last modified December 23, 2005, 01:13:18]