Global News has obtained video appearing to show toys being stolen from a charity drive bin at a fire station in York Region early Wednesday.
York Regional Police spokesperson Const. Laura Nicolle said officers received a report that at around 3 a.m., a “lone male suspect” went into a fire station on Edward Street in Aurora and began taking items.
“They had a big bin for toy and food donations for Christmas to help out families in need in our community, and the suspect essentially started filling up a bag with items,” Nicolle said.
Security video appears to show the suspect entering the fire station and subsequently placing toys into shopping bags before leaving.
The same person returns and appears to take more items by hand before leaving again.
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Around 25 minutes later — according to the timestamp on the security video — the suspect comes in again and appears to take more items.
Firefighters were out responding to a call at the time of the incident.
“The investigators tell me it looks like he took about 30 items or so from the donation and at this point we’re appealing for anyone with additional information on this to come forward,” Nicolle said.
She urged the suspect to turn himself in.
“It’s very surprising that somebody would do something like that,” Nicolle said.
“If someone was in severe need themselves, there are ways to reach out and get some help and support.”
Nicolle said the suspect is described as a male with a heavy build who was driving a dark-coloured vehicle. He was initially wearing a black toque with a plad jacket before changing into an orange construction jacket, she said.
Nicolle asked that residents in the area of the fire station who have security cameras check their footage to see if anything was captured that may help investigators.
“Our community is amazingly supportive in terms of all of the toy donation drives that we get and I think this is something that will be very upsetting to people,” she said.
She said she believes it will “only be a matter of time” before the suspect is identified.