North Port ‘Grinch’ steals Christmas gifts, minivan

The Randazzo family intended on waking up Christmas morning to newly wrapped gifts under the tree.

But someone broke into their home early Friday morning while they slept and stole about 20 Christmas presents and their 2014 red Chrysler Town and Country Minivan, according to the North Port Police Department.

“I was in my bed sleeping and I woke up to my 7-year-old brother running through my room going ‘Ari, Ari, the van is gone. The van is stolen and so are the presents,'” Arianna Randazzo said.

The family believes the crook got in the through an unlocked back door.

“It hurts. It’s not fair. The kids didn’t ask for this,” Ashton Randazzo said.

The police department also received two other reports of vehicles being broken into in the same neighborhood near Toledo Blade Elementary.

“This is the time of year when most people are giving and getting and certainly when you hear stuff like this is really is very frustrating and sad,” City of North Port spokesman Josh Taylor said.

The family says the Grinch may have gotten away with their presents but they didn’t steal their Christmas spirit.

“The meaning of Christmas is not the gifts, it’s never the gifts. If you have gifts and you don’t have family, there’s no point because who’s going to see your face when you open it up?” Arianna said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the North Port Police Department at 941-429-7300.

WINK News reporter Kim Powell has more details:

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