$6,000 worth of toys for homeless children stolen from YWCA
SEATTLE -- What should be an open door to opportunity instead brought Nichelle Hilton to tears.
"I'm totally numb," Hilton said, wiping tears from her face. "I'm in total disbelief that someone would take toys before Christmas from homeless children. I mean, who does that?"
Hilton, a community resource coordinator at the YWCA in Seattle's Central District, said an employee arrived at the facility Monday morning to find a shelter door ajar. Inside, 300 toys intended for homeless kids had been stolen; the boxes the toys were stored in had been ripped apart. A single toy -- a lone bag bearing the Hello Kitty logo -- was the only item that remained.
"Where are these toys? Are the people who stole these toys on a corner trying to sell Easy Bake Ovens?" Hilton asked. "These families count on that. I feel very responsible making sure everybody has a great Christmas."
Staff at the Cherry Street nonprofit purchased the toys last week with about $6,200 donated through Rick's Toys for Kids Foundation, Hilton said. The toys were stored in an empty unit at the shelter, which was undergoing renovations. Hilton wonders whether a construction worker didn't completely close the unit's door on Friday or if thieves simply broke in.
"Who would take from kids? What is going on in the world today?" asked Jeanice Hardy, a facility director who works with kids and families receiving the toys. "What are they going to think? Will they have Christmas?"
YWCA employees spent Monday scouring hours of surveillance video taken over the weekend, but as of Monday night, hadn't found any clues as to who might have stolen the toys. Police are also investigating.
Hilton, meantime, wondered how the organization was going to collect enough toys to hand out by next Monday, which is when the kids are scheduled to celebrate Christmas.
"How do you say that to a 4-year-old, that 'Santa couldn't find you?"' Hilton asked. "So I want to make sure Santa finds them."
The YWCA shelter, located at 2820 E. Cherry St., is accepting toys for children ages 0 to 19, until Dec. 21 at noon.
"I'm totally numb," Hilton said, wiping tears from her face. "I'm in total disbelief that someone would take toys before Christmas from homeless children. I mean, who does that?"
Hilton, a community resource coordinator at the YWCA in Seattle's Central District, said an employee arrived at the facility Monday morning to find a shelter door ajar. Inside, 300 toys intended for homeless kids had been stolen; the boxes the toys were stored in had been ripped apart. A single toy -- a lone bag bearing the Hello Kitty logo -- was the only item that remained.
"Where are these toys? Are the people who stole these toys on a corner trying to sell Easy Bake Ovens?" Hilton asked. "These families count on that. I feel very responsible making sure everybody has a great Christmas."
Staff at the Cherry Street nonprofit purchased the toys last week with about $6,200 donated through Rick's Toys for Kids Foundation, Hilton said. The toys were stored in an empty unit at the shelter, which was undergoing renovations. Hilton wonders whether a construction worker didn't completely close the unit's door on Friday or if thieves simply broke in.
"Who would take from kids? What is going on in the world today?" asked Jeanice Hardy, a facility director who works with kids and families receiving the toys. "What are they going to think? Will they have Christmas?"
YWCA employees spent Monday scouring hours of surveillance video taken over the weekend, but as of Monday night, hadn't found any clues as to who might have stolen the toys. Police are also investigating.
Hilton, meantime, wondered how the organization was going to collect enough toys to hand out by next Monday, which is when the kids are scheduled to celebrate Christmas.
"How do you say that to a 4-year-old, that 'Santa couldn't find you?"' Hilton asked. "So I want to make sure Santa finds them."
The YWCA shelter, located at 2820 E. Cherry St., is accepting toys for children ages 0 to 19, until Dec. 21 at noon.
It is sad that you all say drug addicts because you don't have to be a drug at to be a thief our government shows us that, but nevertheless a thief is a thief. That leads to my next question for those who are in a homeless state when will priority as organization be to meet the need of there housing assistance verse toys for a day that is once a year?
Here is another way to give to these kids and locations to go to for toy drop offs.Â
http://www.facebook.com/seattlemusic.mla
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what i dont understand is, why was 6k spent on toys for homeless kids, how about warm clothing, hygiene products, food, books......
 @Jason Nosaj It provides hope. Something vital for these children. Yes, practical things are important too, but they have to know someone cares, that someone wants them to have a good life, not just barely survive. It's hope that will get them through.
There is more joy to be seen in a child's eyes when they see a toy. Its is wonderful for them to receive at least a toy on Christmas that is why .Â
Wow.Â
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I am astounded by how many came on here claiming this was just a "PR Stunt" or "a way to get more donations". And then there are the "all knowing" amongst you - you KNOW they did not secure the toys (even though there is no evidence of this). You seem to think that somehow tghe YWCA is "unworthy" and so by connection the CHILDREN who would hvae bene rec ipients are also unworthy. They are CHILDREN - children without a home, who may not even get to have a "real Christmas" without that toy that someone donated (and now some scumbag has stolen).
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When did we all become so heartless? Isn't it more important to GIVE than to RECEIVE? Children grow up too fast these days as it is - to have Christmas stolen from them is horrible.
@LocalLady
Because people have voiced suspicions about the alleged theft, does not automatically equate to a heartless clan amongst us. Organizations have a duty to secure the donations they have been entrusted with.
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While we all wish the kids have the merriest of holiday possible, considering their hopefully temporary circumstances.
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Somewhere out there are people who donated $6000 in toys and/or money, with warm giving hearts. These good people deserved better, when they freely gave, believing their gift was in good hands and would make it to the kids as intended.
Exactly, with all the news over the past year of charities and youth groups getting ripped off, you'd think they would have had things locked down tighter than a drum.
"Tis the season for ugliness to rear it's head apparently. Burglars/thieves have a special place in hell, because the feeling of violation doesn't go away.
And it is definitely more than just toys that were stolen, it's the joy that someone out there who they've probably never met and may never meet has kindly brought them a gift.Â
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Hopefully, something good can happen. At the UW Seattle campus, there are Salvation Army Giving Trees where a Christmas tree is set up with gift tags with written on them with basic toiletries to toys. You take a tag from the tree, obtain the written item and wrap it with the tag and replace it under any of the Salvation Army Giving Trees.
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There may be a few pathetic low life scumbags but plenty of us to fight back.
There is a special place is hell for people who steal toys from homeless children. Â Just disgusting.
Stealing Christmas gifts intended for the less fortunate among us is getting about as low as you can go but each year it happens multiple times. May the thief find a conscious in their Christmas stocking (doubtful).
wow my kids just read this and all have decide that they want to donate this Christmas to these children. Brought a tear to my eyes. Both of them, So to day we are going to go find all of the giving trees and give give and give.
My wood chipper is hungry, feed me ceemore. Yes all thieves should be fed to a wood chipper hands first. Alive and kicken.
Sorry, there has been a dozen of this type thief from community organizations during the past month and I am now suspicious. Realizing that bad things do happen, people steal however, there have been too many similar (possible insider/PR stunt) cases, followed by an urgent plea for more help.
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If you didnât take care of the original donations, why should we believe your organizations will be more responsible and do a better job protecting donations, if we were to give you a second bite of the apple?
If they find whoever did this I would string the POS up... money is on one of the following 1. Druggie or Selfish Self Centered &#$*(@ head | The toys were for children and if the person stole them for their kids may all the bad karma in the world come down on that person like a ton of bricks!
That is lower than low.
Addicts have all day or all night to look for opportunities. It is also not unheard of for a construction worker to be the thief. Pathetic and disgusting to steal from kids, let alone from anyone else.Â
Who does this? Drug addicts. They are often reduced to caring nothing for their own children, let alone yours.Â
These toy drives are easy pickings.Â
People that do this kind of thing should be hung by their _ _ _ _s.
Those were the worse kind of crooks. They are mindless criminals. YWCA now has to find ways to get more toys before Christmas. http://tiny.cc/citygoods
Hi All,
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If you're interested in donating, I will come pick up a new, unwrapped toy for donation, by the 15th:
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https://www.facebook.com/events/515889375095739/515889448429065/?comment_id=515891001762243&ref=notif¬if_t=event_mall_comment
We will be heading down to the YWCA tomorrow to bring 13 new toys for the children.
Seems like this happens every year to a YMCA, Toys for Tots or Salvation Army toy drive. If found they must be put on display and humilited for the weak people that they are. Please someone crack this case and get their names out. Let society take it from there.
The thieves should be "volunteered" to be serviceable "toys" themselves when caught:
Pinatas while hanging by their thumbs...
"How do you say that to a 4-year-old, that 'Santa couldn't find you?" Hilton asked. "So I want to make sure Santa finds them".
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I grew up with Santa not finding us, many times. There were no toy give-a-ways when I was a child. We often found all that was under the tree was an orange and a hand knitted pair of mittens.
 Unfortunately, today's children (and their parents) have been conditioned to believe that society will always provide for them. In the many years I spent volunteering w/ local charities to provide for the less fortunate, I often saw the same people at several venues. Did I feel it was unfair for them to take more than their share? Of course, but I was not there to dictate but to assist. It is probably far worse that these kids won't have a hot meal than a new toy...
 @takncarabizniz Your parents still had something to put under the tree be it that orange or a warm pair of mittens. Some folks can't even afford that. At least you had a roof over your head, what do these homeless kids have? Have some compassion!
I'd be numb too. Who does that? Low life scum, that's who. Those who need to be caught, caned on the palms of their hands, whipped with a bullwhip on their bare back, and finally strung up by their toes.
Possibly an inside job or conspiracy to get more donations... Now that the story is out the "Grinch" stole christmas the community will rally together in the aftermath and the gifts will magically return three fold... It would not be worth the risk and effort for real organized theaves to do this... they are after your christmas with the big kid toys and other expensive gadgets and gizmos a plenty... Those were some big boxes, how could one or two people run off with all of that without being seen? Seriously?
Agreed. Similar to what I said except I didn't use the term "inside job". Instead I used "PR" and go lambasted for being a grinch myself.Â
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It must be about symantics.
 @AaronLawrence1911Â
 @AaronLawrence1911 funny i was thinking the same thing. every year at this time you hear about one of the charities getting "ripped off". hmmmmm
Who would take from kids?
People trying to make returns for cash and store credit after Christmas. Callous business owners who steal everything from landscaped plants to lumber from job sites to toys to sell in Mom and Pop shops. You shouldn't be shocked that we live in a world where people think more about themselves than others and where theft is as common as drinking water.Â
I also have to wonder about an organization that seems so incapable of properly securing their area. The story seems to have a lot of holes, are they looking internally?
That's beyond sad. Â Does the PNW hold the record for the biggest a$&%les in the Country? How heartless. Â My guess is that the toys will be fenced to some of those markets that buy all of the shoplifted formula and diapers, and food. Â There are unscrupulous markets out there who buy that stuff. they pay people to steal things. Â Obviously, this was an inside job, in that someone had to know that the toys were there. Â Â Just shameless. Â Â
Not that theft isnt a bad thing (it is) but common sense dictates that homeless kids have far more worries than not getting a handful of worthless toys. I mean Seriously?Â
 @snow surfer Let me tell you something, snow surfer.  I was homeless as a child. We lived in hotels sometimes, and other times we had to move out of a weekly apartment, leaving all of our belongings behind, in the middle of the night.  And I can remember so clearly, after losing everything, when my parents gave us one little toy. It was a cheap little toy, but it was the most amazing thing to me, because of everything we'd lost.  And when I was in Jr. High, and we were struggling, we were recipients of a charity box with food in it, and a piece of clothing for each of us.  Do you understand how utterly meaningful and precious it was to us to get ONE good thing like that??  These kids have nothing, and just having a toy is a huge thing to them.  Or should they play with empty cans and sticks?  The kindness shown to me as a child, resulted in my always volunteering to help others, always doing the Santa gift trees for kids like that, and frankly paying it forward every day. Â
 @DT  @snow surfer Not only are they the victim of circumstance, none of it is their fault either.  My husband's mother is 66 and she talks about how the fire engine came and gave them a box of food and coats on Christmas Eve, a night when they had split a piece of gum for dinner.  Her dad had died, leaving her mom with 5 little ones.  I work at a food bank and we have a little basket of junk trinkets for the kids who come in with their parents.  You should see their little faces light up, trying to decide between an eraser or a pink worm.  They're innocent little kids, they deserve a little extra joy.
"Employees spent Monday scouring hours of surveillance video, but hadn't found any clues". How is that possible, do they know how to use Fast Forward? Why wasn't the police going through the video? And they don't know if the door was left open or broken in? Did anyone look at the door? It would be quite obvious. Something is fishy, I don't believe their story. Sounds to me like either an inside job, or the toys were never purchased and someone pocketed the cash".
Like the bulls running in Spain, and the season's first snowfall - this story is available to us reliably, year after year... One would think years and years of this annual ritual would have taught those to better handle their donated inventory.
Already anticipating next years version. They can use the same file photo.
It may be sad, but explain how a theft of items that may have been left unlocked, in Seattle, is news. Â It's not news when a car window is smashed and a purse grabbed. Â It's not news when a mailbox is pried open and a check stolen. Â It's not news when a house is burgled. Â So why is this news?
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News would be if the YWCA fired the director responsible for not securing the toys safely. Â Because it would signify that perhaps, just maybe, Seattle has a chance to return to sanity.
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We now return you to the leftist loons who will deplore the application of cold common sense to their warm, fuzzy, but ultimately unrealistic metro-cocoon.
 @TCat And here I thought that the thieves were the biggest a#$#les in the PNW.  I stand corrected.Â
 @TCat The Grinch lives
 @TCat I can't tell if you actually believe what you just wrote or if you're deliberately trying to be a troll.
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-It's news because these were Christmas gifts for homeless children.
- Nowhere does it say they were left unlocked. Â You do realize that many homes and business are broken into. Â Yes, even ones with locked doors.
- You're calling us leftist loons.. Â yet you're the one blaming the victims and not the criminals. Â I thought you right wingers were supposed to be tough on crime. Â
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BTW, awesome of you to suggest firing a YMCA employee. Â Congratulations, you're a bigger Grinch than you're spouse, Honkeycat.
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 @TCat It's news because it can bring attention to the community who can help with donations and toys for these children.
Bastards!
This just breaks my heart, you have to be a special kind of jerk to steal from kids (what I actually want to call the thief is way to harsh for a public forum). I will mail some toys to the shelter later this week.
Oops, I meant way too harsh.
Just talked to Nichelle. I'm mailing them a check in the morning. Such a great organization. I really hope others can help out.
You have to be the lowest of the low to steal children's toys. I sure hope these rat's asses get caught and we all get to see their stupid faces.
It just takes one evil act by an incredibly worthless individual to tarnish the hope of many, but I got faith that the good of so many others will prevail, looks like I'll be swinging by the toy store this week!