Police are hunting this real-life Christmas Grinch who stole presents from the doorstep – of a partially deaf child.
Cheltenham mum Victoria Bees, 42, captured the broad-daylight robbery on her Ring doorbell on Sunday (27 November).
The haul of boxes taken from her doorstep was worth hundreds of pounds and contained Christmas presents purchased during the Black Friday sales.
Victoria says she spent her entire Christmas present budget on the gifts, which included educational electronics for her partially-deaf two-year-old. Her five-year-old daughter’s gifts were also taken.
She said that she had “put all her eggs in one basket”, frantically purchasing dozens of items during the mega sale to provide a stack of great pressies for her kids.
Victoria said: “I know everyone’s struggling but how could someone stoop so low? On Monday I was still very upset and disappointed about it, but now I’m just angry.
“Everybody’s struggling, I’m making those pounds stretch as far as I can and I would never dream of stealing from somebody else. She has basically stolen my children’s Christmas, she’s the ultimate Grinch.
“I’m able to get some of the items redelivered, but someone of the popular children’s toys are now out of stock.
“By the time I get a refund, I’m going to be paying full price, and won’t be able to do that.
“I am completely aware they are only things, with covid and everything, Christmas is about spending time together but it’s things for the people I love.
“It’s the fact it’s a woman as well, it’s slightly more upsetting, I don’t know what it is but it’s worse to me. I hope it beats her up that she’s taken that from my family.”
She also blasted the delivery driver for placing the items on her doorstep in full view of the public – stating that they are supposed to attempt re-delivery if nobody is in.
Gloucestershire Police has since launched an investigation into the incident, which happened in Royal Crescent, Cheltenham, at around 1.35pm.
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police said: “Police are investigating a report of items being stolen from outside an address on Royal Crescent, Cheltenham at around 1.40pm on Sunday, November 27.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Gloucestershire Constabulary through the website, quoting incident 247 of November 27.”
