Christmas presents stolen from family

$2K in gifts stolen from home

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Northwest Jacksonville family of five says they're heartbroken after a real-life Grinch broke in and stole their Christmas presents.

The family returned home late Friday night to find their door kicked in, their home trashed and $2,000 worth of gifts gone.

Jerrod Harris walked Channel 4 through what happened Friday when he and his wife Terrell came back to find their house broken into. Their living room a mess, wrapping paper all over the floor and nearly all of their children's Christmas gifts gone.

"They tried to take my son's basketball court, but it's too big to take it, " Harris said

"You feel violated, you know, knowing some stranger was in your house, taking your things, destroying everything. It's hard to really sleep and relax," Harris said.

The stolen gifts include PlayStations and Kindle Fires, the very things their three children had really wanted. The couple says they had struggled, but had managed to save their money since the beginning of the year.

The couple says they haven't yet had the chance to break the news to their children.

"I feel real bad," Harris said. "You know, it took everything I had to get them a Christmas. Now, it's like they're not going to have one."

The family was also left without a working door.

"Don't feel too safe with this, you know?" Harris said.

For now, they have no idea what they'll do for Christmas, but they're determine to push forward.

"Just try to rebuild. You know, fix the house up, put a better alarm system in here and just, you know, keep an eye on our surroundings. Try to be safe as we can," Harris said.


About the Authors:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.