Page 16 - IAV Digital Magazine #560

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Secret Santa Volunteer
Charged After Incomplete Toy
Delivery In Guernsey County
by Mike McCarthy
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A Secret Santa volunteer is charged with misde- meanor theft after several bags of donated toys were not delivered in Guernsey County.
James E. Edwards, 45, has pleaded not guilty, and he told Cambridge Police he did not know what happened to the missing toys, accord- ing to a police report filed this week.
Edwards picked up nine bags of toys col- lected as part of a promotion for Secret Santa of Guernsey County at Dunning Ford Monday after- noon, but he only delivered five bags to the organization’s location a couple of hours later, the report said.
Additionally, the toys had been removed from the original bags and placed in smaller trash-sized bags, police said.
Dunning Ford sales- man Mike Neilson oversaw the dealer- ship’s toy collection and estimated more than 100 toys were missing
“Why would you do that to kids," Neilson said. "I mean, it takes a real lowlife to do something like that in my opinion."
A Cambridge officer found one of the smaller bags contain- ing toys in the trunk of Edwards’ car, which Edwards said was left there because “he got busy,” according to the police report.
He also blamed staff at Dunning Ford for not telling him they placed a bag in the trunk, the report said.
This holiday season Edwards had been volunteering with Secret Santa, but he was not authorized to pick up any dona- tions, John Davis with Secret Santa
told ABC 6/ FOX 28.
Davis said the organi- zation typically deliv- ers toys to 2,100–2,500 kids across the county on Christmas Eve.
“People are very angry at this person, especially after he was involved in Secret Santa," Neilson said. "You know, that's a Grinch."
The toy collection at Dunning Ford contin- ues until December 22.
Neilson said the com- munity has responded to the theft with addi- tional monetary and toy donations.
“We have a lot of nice people in our commu- nity, and I think when somebody goes down everybody helps take them back up,” Neilson said. “I think that’s what’s going to happen here with Secret Santa." Donations can be sent to Dunning Ford at P.O. Box 304 Cambridge, Ohio 43725.
Edwards has been released from jail on bond.
He’s due back in court in February.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine