Police Bearing Gifts Save Holiday for Louisiana Boy, 7
GRETNA, La. (AP) — After burglars made off with gifts from under the Christmas tree at a home in the New Orleans suburb of Gretna, police did more than just investigate.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputies and Gretna police got together and bought replacements for 7-year-old Armon Dixon.
Dixon's mother, Montreal Dixon, told New Orleans TV stations she got home from a party Thursday night to find that her home had been burglarized: Presents under the tree were gone and two TVs were stolen from upstairs rooms. Investigators believe more than $1,000 worth of items were taken.
"As soon as I walked into my house, that's the first thing I noticed, the presents not underneath the tree," the mother told WVUE-TV. "I just freaked out and I started crying. I didn't even go upstairs yet, I just sat down on my sofa and I started crying. So I went upstairs and I didn't see his TV or my TV," Dixon said.
She said she didn't have the time or the money to replace the gifts.
On Christmas Eve, deputies and police officers showed up with a car full of wrapped replacements. Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Chaplain Alex Bellow said the gifts included video games, TVs and other items.
"Nobody forced their hand. Nobody asked them, 'Hey can you do this for this family?' They decided upon themselves to take it and do it for this family, which is just outstanding," Gretna Police Lt. Chris Tapi told WDSU-TV.