The Grinch who burglarized a Ferris Avenue apartment couldn't steal Christmas from the Cuenca-Orzuna family, thanks to the generosity of White Plains, N.Y., police.
The family will be able to replace the stolen gifts after police passed the hat and presented the Orzunas with gift cards totaling $1,500 and a few toys on Saturday morning, the Journal News reports.
"We had to do something," Detective German Lopez said. "We couldn't let these kids go without a Christmas."
When Lopez arrived at the family's apartment last Wednesday afternoon in response to the burglary call, "I found a lot of kids crying," the 23-year police veteran said. "All of the presents had been taken from under their tree. They even took their piggy banks."
"We passed the hat and I called the union. The response was really great," Lopez said. "I was very angry about this. I have kids and grandchildren myself, so I can imagine what the Orzunas must have felt when their kids' presents were stolen."
The union matched the $750 raised by Lopez and Castelli, said White Plains Police Benevolent Association President Robert Riley. They also got donations from Public Safety Commissioner David Chong and Police Chief James Bradley.
"To be burglarized is bad enough," Riley said. "To have it happen during Christmas, and to take presents away from seven kids, is a double whammy. We wanted to make sure there was a happy ending and a happy Christmas for this family. To see the smiles and their faces this morning made it all worth it."
