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15 bicycles stolen from Toys for Tots storage facility
Police

GAINESVILLE — Fifteen bicycles and other goods have been stolen from a Toys for Tots storage facility in Gainesville run by the local Marine Corps League.

According to Gainesville police, “Juveniles are breaking in to the business in the overnight hours and taking items that are marked for Toys for Tots or other Disabled American Vets.”

Marine Corps League Upper Chattahoochee Detachment Commandant Brent Barrett said there have been about 10 instances over a month-and-a-half span where kids have been “taking advantage of us.”

The most recent incident occurred after 7 p.m. Saturday at the Atlanta Highway facility.

“They play with everything in the warehouse, and it seems like we just can’t catch them,” Barrett said.

The organization installed cameras about two weeks ago at the 55,000-square-foot facility, which has had its windows and doors broken.

“We’ve been there two years and nothing’s happened, and all of a sudden we can’t keep them out of the building,” Barrett said.

The facility houses beds, wheelchairs and other items for the Disabled American Veterans.

“We also have a food pantry and the clothing for the homeless, and they went through and started eating food, too,” Barrett said.

Boxes and other presents have been damaged inside the facility.

“When Christmas comes around ... we’re not going to have the toys that we normally would have to give away,” Barrett said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Gainesville Police investigator at (770) 534-5254.