Punta Gorda 6-year-old gets new toy police car after neighbor vandalizes his own

Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
Credit: Shared with WINK News.

A 6-year-old child who likes to pretend he is patrolling his neighborhood and keeping everyone safe became the target of a crime. His toy police car was destroyed by an angry neighbor. But his heroes stepped up to turn his disappointment around.

Mason Ford likes to keep watch in his community in Punta Gorda, but an angry neighbor destroyed his police car this past summer, so help came to his rescue.

The Punta Gorda Walmart donated a new, toy police car and delivered it to Mason on a tow truck to restore his dreams.

Mason loves to dress as a police officer and patrol his apartment complex, but a vandal wanted to change that.

Erick Vega was accused in August of cutting up the cover of Mason’s toy police car and even slashing the 6-year-old’s seatbelts.

Punta Gorda Police Department reached out to the community to help cheer up Mason.

“I had come up with the idea that we would just donate it to them,” said April Hardway with the local Walmart.

“When we explained that we needed more good people like him to help us out doing our job, he was pretty excited about that,” Lt. Davoult said. “He jumped in it right away, but he was sure to put his seatbelt on first.”

The family is now donating their old toy cop car to another deserving child.

As for the accused vandal, Erick Vega faces a charge for criminal mischief. He was arrested and then post $1,000 bond.

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