ANTIOCH — After Sara Quinones returned dwelling final week, she was confronted with one thing nobody would need to encounter, particularly throughout the holidays. Cops and anxious neighbors stood exterior her dwelling prepared to tell her that it had been burglarized.
As Quinones surveyed the harm, her heartbreak deepened. Like a scene from the basic story of “Grinch,” thieves had reportedly vandalized her car and stolen Christmas presents – principally toys and kids’s garments that she had wrapped and positioned below the tree. She was devastated.
Quinones tried to make the very best out of the state of affairs, including she was grateful that her canine Simba, who’s recovering after he received hit by a automotive a number of months in the past, was not dwelling when the housebreaking occurred.
“Things can be replaced, but not him,” mentioned Quinones. “I don’t know what would have happened to him if he was there. I guess I’m trying to see the cup as half full instead of empty.”
Antioch Police Division Officer Ashley Lundin responded to the housebreaking in progress name on West ninth Road. She mentioned some neighbors reportedly noticed people leaving Quinones’ dwelling. Regardless of an in depth search within the space, the suspects had been by no means caught.
The complete incident, nevertheless, troubled Lundin.
“It didn’t sit right with me, and I felt awful for her,” she mentioned.
Lundin, who began her profession in legislation enforcement in 2014 and arrived in Antioch three years in the past, felt she needed to do one thing.
“Just seeing how distraught she was, knowing her financial situation with having lost her job as Christmas is approaching, it just tugged at my heartstrings,” mentioned Lundin. “I felt really bad, and I knew we could help her in some way. I wanted to make that happen.”
In response, Lundin rallied her workforce, asking if anybody was keen to donate youngsters’s garments and toys to Quinones.
Her sergeant in the end reached out to an Antioch dispatch supervisor who helps set up toy drives and donations throughout the holidays.
“We have this APD adopt-a-family holiday program where we give donations and gifts to families in need,” mentioned Lundin.
Lundin contacted Quinones and requested if she needed to be a part of this system.
“She was extremely grateful,” mentioned Lundin.
On Sunday, Lundin and her dayshift crew arrived at Quinones’ dwelling and changed the stolen presents, bringing some vacation magic to the household. Quinones couldn’t maintain again her tears when she noticed Lundin and different officers bringing the presents.
“It was so nice of them,” she mentioned. “They brought in many nice things, like Barbie dolls, Minnie Mouse, Hello Kitty, blankets … a lot of nice gifts.”
Quinones mentioned she is now wanting ahead to seeing the response of her two nieces after they open their presents.
“They are going to love it,” she mentioned.
Quinones is hopeful she is going to discover a new job quickly, however for now, she desires to spend time along with her family members.
