Press release:
Three arrests were made overnight in a brazen theft that stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of toys and merchandise used by underprivileged children. The thefts occurred in a summer camp sponsored by the national car donation charity Kars4Kids known as TheZone.
On the cusp on the holiday season, thieves broke into the camp which is located in Jefferson, New York, and stole ten big screens and many game consoles from the camp’s game room. The theft occurred merely days after the organization held a holiday retreat for affiliated children over Thanksgiving weekend. An additional retreat is planned for New Year’s weekend.
Kids Lose Out
“These items are used in the camp to give the children a great time,” Abraham Krawiec, camp director, said. “During a winter retreat, these indoor game activities really contribute a lot to the success of the weekend.”
The three men arrested were 43 year old Jose A. Lopez-Hernandez, 21-year-old Alexander Barragan-Pineda and 20-year-old Matthew L. Huebsch.
Footage captured by security cameras (see video below) on site was instrumental in leading to the identification of the perpetrators. The video showed three masked intruders who seemed to have intimate familiarity of the campus. Screen shots of one of the thieves with his mask lowered and of the truck used to transport the stolen goods found by Kars4Kids employees and volunteers combing through the footage were sent to the State Police involved in the investigation. Investigators traced the truck to a rental facility in Liberty, where the perpetrators were arrested.
Arrests Made
The efforts of New York State Police in troops G, C and F were instrumental in making the arrests.
“It’s horrifying to think that anyone would be callous enough to steal games from children, especially during the holiday season, and especially from a charity,” Krawiec said.
Security camera footage and interview opportunities available on request.
