Tis the season, “Give unto others, whilst they steal from you”
This is becoming an all too familiar phrase for those of us who are falling victim to crime in our neighbourhoods.
Last night my 12-year-old old daughter and I were shopping at MTF in Vedder Plaza. She set her purse down to try on a jacket, and poof, it was gone! This purse was tan canvass with homemade letters “live, laugh, love harry potter” on it, clearly a child’s purse. Inside was her new two-month-old, iPhone 4 (in a Harry Potter case) various items and $85 in cash. She had taken money out to buy all her Christmas presents, with only $15 spent so far on her Nana’s present. Needless to say, she is devastated! She saved for the phone and now has a contract to pay out of her allowance for two years and 10 months for something someone else now has. She does not have $650 for a new one. The phone has been reported stolen, but we are offering a $100 reward for its return, no questions asked.
In a season where we are all being asked to give, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so and even harder to explain to our children the value of giving, truth and generosity while they are being stolen from. Ironically this little 12-year-old old girl spent her day on Saturday at a bottle drive and is being excused from school on Tuesday to help prepare food hampers with Community Services. A hamper, you who took her purse, could very likely be in receipt of next week. To the thief/thieves “Shame on you, you have devastated a little girl and totally ruined her Christmas, I hope a few dollars from a little girls bank account and her prize phone were worth it!” To anyone who should come in possession of a white iphone4 and think it may be hers, the reward stands.
Denyse Henderson