Toys for Tots Stolen on Halloween

Betsy Garrett, San Angelo’s volunteer Toys for Tots coordinator filed a police report Friday afternoon because all the toys that were inside the Toys for Tots collection box in front of the U.S. Marine Corps recruiting storefront inside Sunset Mall were taken Halloween evening.

“We were hoping with all the activity at the Mall Thursday evening on Halloween that leaving the box out might have reminded folks to donate,” Garrett said. Instead, a marine called Garrett Friday morning to inform her that all the toys that were in the box were gone.

“It was about three-quarters full,” Garrett estimates. She estimated the value of the toys stolen is $600.

John Roland, Sunset Mall’s General Manager says there was not video surveillance of the area around the Marine’s storefront Halloween night.

This is the first year that San Angelo’s Toys for Tots is directed by volunteer civilian directors.  In the past, usually active duty Marines ran the local program. “In reality, Toys for Tots is a Marine Reserves charity, so sometimes finding enough reserve Marines on Goodfellow AFB was difficult, and the active duty Marines assisted,” Garrett said.

The San Angelo Toys for Tots goal for Christmas 2013 is to collect approximately $200,000 in toys. So far, according to Garrett, they have $80,000. It’s not a bad start.

All day Saturday (Nov. 2, 2013), Marines will be posted at the H.E.B. grocery store (3101 Sherwood Way) from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. collecting toys and cash donations.