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Christmas Burglary Yields Unexpected Gifts

News Channel 8 photo by CHRIS COYNER

Rhonda Fountain and her five-month-old son, Jayden, sit by their Christmas tree where thieves stole the family gifts on Christmas Eve.

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By SAMARA SODOS

WFLA News Channel 8

Published: December 25, 2008

TAMPA - When Rhonda Fountain walked in from work Christmas Eve and saw the empty space underneath her Christmas tree, she immediately knew what happened. She glanced at her busted up door and realized she was a victim of burglars.

With her extended family in town, the presents for seven children and five adults had disappeared. Among the gifts was a Wii, an MP3 player, dolls, and toy trucks. Also missing was a playstation, DVD's, and a camcorder that held all the first movements of her five-month-old son Jayden.

"To come in here, to see everything we worked so hard for gone," said Fountain, "Honestly it was devastating. It was heartbreaking to know we couldn't replace those gifts."

Fountain, who lives in an apartment at 11319 50th Street in Tampa, spent Christmas Eve crying.

On Christmas Eve, Tampa police detectives arrested two juveniles on burglary and theft charges. While detectives investigated, officers from TPD's District II Street Anti-Crime Unit decided to pool their money and buy the family new gifts. They also recovered some of the stolen items. In the early hours of Christmas, officers from the SAC unit bought about a dozen gifts from Kmart and had them wrapped at the store.

"They are softees, what can I say," said Officer Adam York, one of the Tampa policemen who first responded to the scene.

Fountain and her family were moved by the officers' gifts. "I didn't expect it, they actually wrote down the names of the kids and their ages, and the names on each gift. It was great," said Fountain.

Fountain said the new presents and recovered items helped patch up the holiday. But with most of the gifts gone, she was able to appreciate her family in a way she never had before.

"I woke up Christmas morning and I cried, but I cried different tears. Just happy to have them here," Fountain said choking back tears. "Happy to have my family here."

Fountain said the experience made her realize when you get wrapped up in the presents, sometimes you miss the greatest gifts of all.

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