WHITBY — The grinch stole Christmas early this year. “” ” A collection jug with an estimated $7,000 inside was taken Wednesday morning from The Hunter’s Horn pub in Whitby. The money was going to be used to throw a Christmas party and buy gifts for 29 needy children.
“”" “I’m devastated because there are these families who can’t afford to give their kids Christmas gifts, so we do what we can to help out a few families,” said Cindy Bawdick, who works at the bar her husband owns, as she choked back tears. “We are going to do what we can, we can’t tell them they can’t have a Christmas.” “”" The money was the only thing taken from the bar.
Owner Thomas Picco and staff believe the person who broke in and took the cash must have been to the bar before. “”" “They smashed and grabbed,” said Mr. Picco. “They knew what they were coming for.” “”" Ms. Bawdick was alerted by the alarm company that someone was in the restaurant at around 7 a.m. When Mr. Picco arrived at the bar the patio door window had been smashed in so the intruder could unlock the door. A sledgehammer was laying on the floor. “”" At first Mr.
Picco did not notice anything missing. He realized the jug full of change and bills was gone while he was filling out a police report. The jug had been sitting on the bar, attached to a pole with a bicycle lock at the handle. The culprit sawed the handle off and too the jug. “”" Whoever took the money knew what it was being raised for. “”" A sign that was on the jug read: “Don’t let The Grinch Steal a kids’ Christmas.