Major toy theft leads to ‘early Christmas miracle’ for Bridgeport church

The pastor of a Bridgeport church is thanking the city for "an early Christmas miracle" after thieves stole thousands of dollars’ worth of toys collected for charity.

The toys that were supposed to benefit Toys for Tots were stolen at the Greater Bridgeport Christian Fellowship Church Saturday on Boston Avenue.

The pastor say two thieves broke into pods and stole between 700 to 800 toys, worth between $7,000 to $8,000. They were supposed to be given out to 1,300 families in several weeks. The toys that were not stolen were quickly placed inside the church to be kept safe and secure.

Pastor Eric Torres, the director of Marine Toys for Tots, says surveillance video shows two young thieves carrying out the crime.

When News 12 Connecticut told Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim what had happened, he said he would make sure that no child goes without a toy.

He vowed to replace the toys with help from Wonderland of Ice, which immediately called News 12 and said they were giving $2,000.

"We're going to make every effort, myself with the City of Bridgeport and others, to come together and replace these toys or support the fund to make sure every child has a toy for Christmas,” Ganim says.