Pueblo police buy gifts for boy whose presents were stolen

Pueblo police are giving Santa some extra help this year, one week after a boy’s Christmas gifts were stolen.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 first introduced viewers to C.J. Madrid on Wednesday. Someone stole his Christmas gifts after he went shopping with Pueblo police during the department’s “Heroes and Helpers” event.

Pueblo police weren’t able to find those stolen presents, so they went back to the store and bought those gifts for C.J.

Officer Zachary Ballas, along with several other officers, pitched in their own money to buy C.J. gifts. Ballas knew exactly what gifts C.J. wanted because he nominated him for the department’s “Heroes and Helpers” event.

“The most special thing today was just seeing his face when he opened the toys, especially the truck and the Batman toy. You know just that smile we talked about that he has — that just pretty much totally made my day,” Ballas said.

C.J. said his favorite present was a “big old truck” because “it can go on ramps and other stuff.”

Ballas made sure several gifts remained unopened so C.J. would have some more presents to open on Christmas morning.