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Stolen Trailer Filled With Donated Toys Returned 8 Hours Later

BERTOUD, Colo. (CBS4)- An alert street sweeper and police officers helped save a holiday tradition in Berthoud this year.

The street sweeper noticed a trailer full of donated toys had been stolen from the parking lot of Grace Place Church.

"I got a phone call at 6 o'clock this morning asking me if I knew who had taken the mission's trailer. And I was like, 'No one should have taken it, it's full of Christmas and Berthoud toys,'" said Outreach Pastor at Grace Place and Christmas in Berthoud President Kim Land.

The organization helps families in need during the holidays in the small Colorado town.

grace-place-map
(credit: CBS)

Police recovered the trailer just eight hours later and a few blocks away from where it was stolen. The lock hadn't even been tampered with.

When the trailer was stolen, Land said she quickly put out the word about what was inside.

She believes the thieves received that message and returned the toys.

"I believe that they somehow found out about it because the trailer had been dropped off just a little bit north of here in a parking lot. I think they must have found out what was there," said Land.

Now along with the trailer and toys, Christmas in Berthoud is back in business.

"There are lots of toys that we are so thankful to have back," said Land. "It will make a lot of kids happy.

"Going into these families that are just so distressed and to get to bring happiness and joy to their holiday , it's fantastic."

Land was told by the police that one of the suspects actually turned themselves into authorities.

RELATED LINK: christmasinbertoud.org

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