Hundreds Of Christmas Donations Stolen At LA Toy Drive: Report

LONG BEACH, CA — Thieves crashed Long Beach's Hood Santa's annual toy drive and stole hundreds of toys meant for underprivileged children in Los Angeles County, according to reports.

Tito Rodriguez, known as the "Hood Santa" of Long Beach, told KTLA the thieves struck Saturday night at a music festival held at the Belasco Theater. Attendees were required to donate a toy valued at $20 or more to enter.

Donations were stored in a large U-Haul truck parked at the front of the theater and was guarded, Rodriguez said.

“Our guy who was watching the truck went to get some coffee. When he came back, he noticed that the truck had been broken into,” Tito Rodriguez, the “Hood Santa,” told KTLA’s Kimberly Cheng. “They tried to steal the truck. When they failed … they broke the back of the roll-up door, cut it with some bolt-cutters, and wiped us out. They took about half the toys.”

After the devastating loss, Rodriguez filed a police report for the stolen donations. Worried that the toy drive was in jeopardy, Rodriguez posted about the theft on Instagram to inform the community.

Upon seeing the news, the community mobilized and donations poured in, refilling the U-Haul with toys. The toys will be given to children on Saturday at MacArthur Park in Long beach from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Read more from KTLA: L.A. thieves make off with hundreds of donated Christmas toys for kids