Usually, the Grinch shows up the night before Christmas, but that wasn’t the case in Paw Paw.
The Lucas family, who was chosen as the representatives of the Van Buren County ‘Shop with a Sheriff’ program, woke up the shock of a life time last week.
Over $1000 dollars in gifts were stolen from the family home, shocking all involved.
“I was crying. I was breaking up crying over it,” said Don Lucas Jr. a single father of four whose kids gifts were stolen. “What am I going to do? I cannot believe that somebody would come and steal the gifts from the kids.”
And to make the matter even worse? The Grinch had a familiar face.
Donald Lucas Sr. allegedly stole and sold his grandkids’ Christmas gifts for drug money, after the 62-year-old was arrested for possession of Methamphetamine's.
Lucas Jr. let his father stay with the family for a couple of days while getting settled into the holidays, but even Lucas Jr. was shocked by the news.
The sheriff’s office was unable to collect the gifts at the time of the arrest and knew it had to do something to save Christmas for the Lucas’.
“We know people struggle in life,” said Daniel Abbott, Sheriff of Van Buren County . “I was one of those kids growing up, and I could have used something like this."
The sheriff’s office would get the word out to the rest of the Paw Paw community, that Christmas was going to be canceled this year.
But the community was not going to let that happen.
“Paw Paw schools donated money, People donated money, Walmart gave us a gift card for money today.” Abbott said. “ So, long story short, this community, our office, Paw Paw schools, stepped up big.“
The kids were each able to receive over $500 each to spend on all the fun games, toys, dolls, and bikes they could wish for.
The moment truly meant the world to Don Jr. who thought Christmas was going to be canceled.
“I want to say, thank you, and Merry Christmas." Lucas Jr. said. " And it just blew my mind. How many people stepped up to help us."
If you have any information on the missing toys, you can reach out to the Van Buren County sheriff's office at (269) 657-2006
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