MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Millington Police are searching for a true Christmas Grinch and they’re using an all too familiar poem to help spread the word.
According to police, a man dressed all in white broke into the First Methodist Church in Millington on Sunday and stole every single present the church had collected for the local children in need.
Senior Pastor Ronnie Peck told us the thief got away with $500 worth of toys that were going to be donated to Real Foot Rural Ministry toy store in Obion, Tennessee.
“Each year they open this toy store so that improvised families can come there and purchase new toys for almost little to nothing,” he said.
Peck says last year, the toy store helped 500 families and gave 1,300 kids tons of presents.
Laura Beth Jones has two kids and says she relied on these donations and the toy store for the past three years.
“This is the difference in some children getting to have a Christmas versus not getting to have a Christmas. You know, as a mom for a lot of years I did benefit from that help. I can’t imagine being told, ‘We don’t have those toys here.”
Now, Pastor Peck has a message for the thief.
“We love you. We forgive you. It’s Christmas. If you have any particular needs, come by the church, set up a time to come talk to us and we’ll do everything we can to help you.”
To help get their Christmas back, police turned to Facebook hoping someone would be able to identify the suspect.