JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police are looking for someone who broke into a family’s Arlington home stealing all of their Christmas gifts.
This victim, Ramon Lopez said he had got an early head start on his Christmas shopping this year and had already bought all of his gifts for his sons. Now all that remains under the Christmas tree is the red and green velvet tree skirt minus all the gifts.
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While Lopez was at work Wednesday, someone broke in and stole all of the presents.
“It’s been very hard. My son Ramon Jr. found the house and he was very upset,” Lopez explained. “I had to comfort him and help him get through this. My younger son, I don’t even know how to explain it to him.”
It was hardly the typical phone call a parent at work would expect from their child at home. The single father of two boys, was at work when his son bearing the same name, Ramon Lopez Jr. called him to say their home located at 120 Candlebark Ave. had been burglarized.
The father advised his son to leave the premises immediately and then he contacted the police.
The son told his father that upon entering their residence he noticed the place had been ransacked and some items were missing.
Police responded to the scene where they found a damaged back window with broken glass. The blinds for that window were placed on top of a sofa and the back door was found unlocked.
“On top of stealing everything, they turned everything inside out,” Lopez said. “They threw everything down, they tore open presents, they tore open drawers, dressers, everything that they had available to them.”
Lopez estimates the damage and thefts combined total anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 in losses. The single father said he’s not sure who would do something like this, but right now he’s focused on making sure his sons Christmas isn’t ruined.
“I tried to provide them a good Christmas and it’s a little disheartening when you come home and the house is a wreck and you can’t believe somebody did this to you,” Lopez said.
Lopez is still working on getting his house put back together. Friends and neighbors have started a GoFundMe account for his family.
Here are a few tips from crime experts to help keep your home protected around the holidays:
- Don’t share your travel plans on social media
- Keep the exterior of your home well-lit and
- Leave some lamps on inside when you’re away.
- Get a working security system installed
- Don’t put gifts under the tree, until Christmas morning