Thieves steal presents from under Christmas tree

HICKORY, N.C. — Police are following up on tips after someone broke into a family's home and stole their Christmas presents.

Police said the family left at noon on Monday, but when they returned hours later, someone broke in taking more than two dozen presents from under the Christmas tree.

While he doesn't want to appear on camera, a Hickory father said it's unthinkable that someone would rob his home, just two days before Christmas.

"It was all Christmas stuff. It was gone, it was gone," the father said.

The family said it happened while they were out at a birthday party. When they came back the door was open and the TV was gone.

Police said they got away with two flat-screen TV's, jewelry, two ski jackets, three gift cards and their checkbook and gifts for their loved ones under the tree worth more than $2,000. Even the family's food pantry was cleaned out.

"I forgive them, maybe they need it worse than we did," the father said.

Almost everything has been replaced by today. The family said they were overwhelmed with support from the community after many donated food, gifts and a new TV.

The hardest part they said was explaining everything to their 6 year old.

So far no arrests have been made.

Channel 9 asked police about potential suspects and they are not releasing any names since the case is still under investigation.

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