Thief Swipes Donated Christmas Gifts From Church

[Locutus]

ANTIOCH (CBS) — A church in far north suburban Antioch is scrambling – after someone stole items that were donated as Christmas gifts for needy families.

As CBS 2′s Pamela Jones reports, during regular business hours on Monday, somebody walked into St. Stephen Lutheran Church and stole $700 worth of toys, coats other items intended for Open Arms Mission Charities.

“What drives somebody to steal kids’ Christmas presents?” pastor Ellen Arthur said.



Thief Swipes Donated Gifts From Antioch Church « CBS Chicago

 

[petros]

it was probably al Qaeda

 

[shadowshiv]

Scum like this are beyond low. If caught, they should be tied up, placed in wrapping paper, and then placed in the middle of a room with the kids whose toys they stole. A pinata with a special surprise inside. And after that, the piece(s) of garbage can be thrown in jail.

 

[SLM]

Scum like this are beyond low. If caught, they should be tied up, placed in wrapping paper, and then placed in the middle of a room with the kids whose toys they stole. A pinata with a special surprise inside. And after that, the piece(s) of garbage can be thrown in jail.

LOL. I like that. School yard justice!

 

[TenPenny]

I've never quite understood why stealing christmas presents for kids is worse than stealing anything else.

 

[shadowshiv]

I've never quite understood why stealing christmas presents for kids is worse than stealing anything else.

Because the gifts in question aren't necessarily toys. They could be clothes that the child would need for the upcoming winter.

 

[TenPenny]

Because the gifts in question aren't necessarily toys. They could be clothes that the child would need for the upcoming winter.

So, stealing christmas presents that might be clothes is worse than stealing clothes?

 

[petros]

Maybe next year they can booby trap the present pile with a few IEDs and ATM machine dye packs? That'll learn em'!

 

[Cliffy]

Maybe next year they can booby trap the present pile with a few IEDs and ATM machine dye packs? That'll learn em'!

My hands are booby traps.

 

[petros]

What do you use for bait?

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

I wish we could have a nice Christmas story.

 

[SLM]

I wish we could have a nice Christmas story.

That's heart warming. They just don't make meth dealers like they used to, eh?

 

[shadowshiv]

So, stealing christmas presents that might be clothes is worse than stealing clothes?

No, stealing stuff that was going to go to kids is worse than stealing from adults. I hate thieves, period. However, I despise ones that steal from children more.

I wish we could have a nice Christmas story.

It says 'Image not Found'.

 

[SLM]

It says 'Image not Found'.

That's cuz somebody stole it!!!!!!

 

[TenPenny]

No, stealing stuff that was going to go to kids is worse than stealing from adults.

Why is that?
I'm serious, by the way, not sarcastic. Why do we think it's worse to steal from children than from an adult? Is it because an adult can work to replace lost items, and a child can't? What is the difference?

 

[CDNBear]

Why is that?
I'm serious, by the way, not sarcastic. Why do we think it's worse to steal from children than from an adult? Is it because an adult can work to replace lost items, and a child can't? What is the difference?

In this case the gifts weren't stolen from kids, they were earmarked for children, and stolen from a Church.

But to discuss your inquiry. I've had items stolen. As an adult, I can rationalize the feelings, deal with the sense of violation. Move on. I'm not sure kids feel the same way. It's been my experience, that they just see the item as gone, and don't really feel violated, or fully grasp why its gone. IMHO, I think adults project how they would/do feel onto kids and therefore multiply the offence.


I don't know why your question brought this case to mind, but it did, so I figured I'd attach it.

Mitchell Wilson Suicide: Boy's Death Raises Bullying Concerns

 

[SLM]

In this case the gifts weren't stolen from kids, they were earmarked for children, and stolen from a Church.

But to discuss your inquiry. I've had items stolen. As an adult, I can rationalize the feelings, deal with the sense of violation. Move on. I'm not sure kids feel the same way. It's been my experience, that they just see the item as gone, and don't really feel violated, or fully grasp why its gone. IMHO, I think adults project how they would/do feel onto kids and therefore multiply the offence.

Why is that?
I'm serious, by the way, not sarcastic. Why do we think it's worse to steal from children than from an adult? Is it because an adult can work to replace lost items, and a child can't? What is the difference?

Agree with what Bear said and want to add that I think it's also because most adults have an innate sense within us to protect children, even if we don't have any of our own. It's not about items being stolen, it's about who is being victimized. There is this perceived innocence that we do have regarding children, whether that's real or imagined, so it feels like more of a violation when a crime is perpetuated and children are the victims.

It's not just theft. Homicide, sexual assault against children are regarded the exact same way for, I think, the reasons I mentioned above.

 

[shadowshiv]

Why is that?
I'm serious, by the way, not sarcastic. Why do we think it's worse to steal from children than from an adult? Is it because an adult can work to replace lost items, and a child can't? What is the difference?

Bear and SLM pretty much explained it. Also, my personal feeling is that it is worse for things that were to be for kids getting stolen, especially if those items would be the only things they would have gotten(due to the family being homeless due to fire, family in financial difficulty, etc.). I can't explain why I feel that way, I just do.

 

[SLM]

Bear and SLM pretty much explained it. Also, my personal feeling is that it is worse for things that were to be for kids getting stolen, especially if those items would be the only things they would have gotten(due to the family being homeless due to fire, family in financial difficulty, etc.). I can't explain why I feel that way, I just do.

Oh yes. Like in that old Salvation Army Christmas commercial they used to run where the little boy comes downstairs and is overwhelmingly delighted to see that one teddy bear under the tree. Damn, that was heartbreaking.

 

[CDNBear]

Bear and SLM pretty much explained it. Also, my personal feeling is that it is worse for things that were to be for kids getting stolen, especially if those items would be the only things they would have gotten(due to the family being homeless due to fire, family in financial difficulty, etc.). I can't explain why I feel that way, I just do.

Shadow, I've become pretty jaded about donating toys over the years.

A friend of SCB' is on Mothers Allowance, gets knocked up, everytime they tell her it's time to get back in the work force. Her family is adopted by a Church family every year at Christmas. We visited them once, right after Christmas. You couldn't walk through the govt housing livingroom, for all the toys, and not just cheap stuff. Electric ride'm cars, computer games, and so on.

All I could think of was, how does this teach her kids to provide for themselves? To strive for a better self productive life?