Colorado Springs family’s Christmas gifts stolen from own van

A Colorado Springs man is shocked and saddened after having his kids’ Christmas presents stolen from their own van.

“We had stored all our gifts here in the trunk,” explained Gabriel Henley, who made the discovery on Thursday morning. “I opened up the hatch and when I went to go take them out, there was nothing left.”

Henley had accidentally left his van unlocked overnight. And just hours before, the trunk was filled with Christmas presents for his five kids: Madeline, 2, Lucas, 4, Alex, 10, Benjamin, 12, and Michael, 15.

“I wouldn’t think that someone would be so brazen to come and just take it (on our property). I felt pretty betrayed and it really didn’t make me feel very safe,” said Henley, bewildered.

Colorado Springs Police Lieutenant Catherine Buckley says it is crucial to be hyper vigilant during this season.

“This is the time and this is the season that criminals are going to take advantage of people,” said Buckley, advising to double-and-triple check doors. Buckley added it is easy to be forgetful while juggling holiday tasks.

The theft comes at an especially hard time for the Henley family this year.

“Money is kind of really tight as it is, so we don’t get a lot of gifts. There’s only so many that can go around, so they removed what progress we made and we are gonna have to start from scratch now, right in the middle of the month,” said Henley.

If you’d like to help the Henley family, or know where the missing gifts may be, contact them at: (719) 321-7911. The family says they’d gladly take the presents back, no questions asked.