Dad spots his children’s stolen Christmas presents on Facebook (Picture: SWNS)
A dad robbed just before Christmas was shocked to discover his children’s presents up for sale- on Facebook.
David Jones, 51, was left devastated when his children’s Christmas gifts were nicked from the boot of his car earlier this month.
He thought he’d never see them again and had started to buy more – until a colleague contacted him.
They showed head chef David, from Bristol, pictures of the gifts on a social media post put up by police, who were trying to find the owners.
David Jones, 51, was left devastated when the gifts were nicked from the boot of his car earlier this month (Picture: Avon and Somerset Police / SWNS)
David immediately contacted Avon and Somerset police.
And the force is now hoping to reunite the presents and their rightful owners in time for Christmas.
David, dad to Jess, 15, and Oli, 11, said: ‘I just couldn’t bring myself to tell the kids until it all came out yesterday.
‘I was so taken aback when they were found – it’s just amazing and I’m grateful to everyone who’s helped get them back.’
He thought he’d never see them again and had started to buy more – until a colleague contacted him and said the presents were recovered by police (Picture: David Jones / SWNS)
David had been to see family in Longwell Green, South Glos., on December 12 and picked up presents for his children while he was there.
With plans to go to his partner’s house the next day, he decided to leave the presents in the car overnight.
But on the morning of December 13 he was shocked to discover the boot was empty – and the glove compartment of the car had been raided.
So as not to upset his two children, after putting in a report to the police, he kept the missing presents a secret and hoped to buy new gifts before anyone realised.
He said: ‘I thought all the presents were gone – I didn’t know what to do.
‘It’s Christmas and it would have been devastating for the kids not to have their presents.
‘I went out to start the car so it could get warm, and all the glove compartment was out but I thought it was the kids.
David immediately contacted the police, who are hoping to reunite the presents and their rightful owners before Christmas (Picture: David Jones / SWNS)
‘I went to boot and it was open and all the presents were gone.
‘My sister went and bought some more presents for the kids, I was going to try and buy everyone else’s gifts again but we don’t need to do that now.’
David was then stunned when a co-worker sent him a post from an Avon & Somerset police Facebook page showing the stolen gifts.
His colleague had spotted the names on the name tags and realised they matched – and when David saw the pictures, he recognised the handwriting and names of his sisters.
He contacted the police who then reached out to sister Debbie Stevens, who confirmed what was in the parcels.
And now police plan to reunite David with the presents just in time for Christmas Day.
Debbie said: ‘We couldn’t leave my them without any presents so we went out and bought more – some presents we bought again but we also bought different ones too.
‘I couldn’t believe it when I was told but then we found the Facebook post. It’s such an amazing story and I’m so grateful they’ve been found.’
Police said presents were found in a car which was reported stolen from an address in the Redfield area of Bristol at 10.25am on December 13.
Forty minutes are receiving the report, officers located the vehicle being driven in the Stokes Croft area.
They stopped it and arrested a man and a woman on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. They remain on police bail while further enquiries are carried out.
Insp Matt Boiles said: ‘We’re so pleased to be able to return these stolen Christmas presents.
‘This is a great example of the power of our public appeals and the support we get from our communities.’
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The presents were stolen from the boot of his car days before Christmas.