HEBRON -- A video showing what appears to be the Grinch stealing Christmas gifts from a Hebron home, made a lasting impression on the community.
Maria McKeon said the man seen in the video stole all the Christmas gifts from her home, and many of them were supposed to go to a needy family in New London who McKeon adopted for the holidays.
The children are ages three, five, and 10 and a newborn.
The community wasn’t going to let a thief ruin the holiday for the children.
“Something Simple Café offered to do a fundraiser for me, and I asked them to do it to benefit these four kids that I was helping out, and they did, and the whole town has come out to Something Simple Café and brought gifts non-stop. I was here once already and filled up my car with so many donations, that I've now come back, and they've told me it filled up again,” said McKeon.
Bags of gifts poured into the café. They were filled with toys and clothing for the young family.
“It's just going to turn the world around for these kids. They've never had Christmas before. They're not used to Christmas gifts,” said McKeon.
In addition to those gifts, people have left money at the café and made donations through a Facebook page McKeon set up. She said she’s had people from all over the country reach out to help. She’s just thankful that something that started out as a disaster has turned into the epitome of the Christmas spirit.
“I had no idea it would turn out to be like this, and it's really show a true Grinch story where this guy took all of my Christmas presents, every last one of them, all my jewelry, and now this town has turned around to support these kids, and kids are what Christmas is all about,” said McKeon.
McKeon said companies have reached out, too. Savers has offered to clothe all the children.
Connecticut State Police said they are following leads in the active investigation. Anyone with information on the man in the video is asked to call Connecticut State Police.