Thief Rains on Baby Shower: Every Gift Stolen from Couple Expecting in March

A young married couple expecting their first son in March suffered a serious blow after a thief broke into their vehicle Wednesday afternoon and took almost every single baby gift they received at their recent baby shower, Big Apple Bagel Franchise Owner Gina Hampton told Patch.

Hampton's son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Annie, co-own the local bagel joint at 1925 Main St. She said an informal baby shower was thrown on Sunday for the young couple to help get their feet on the ground and be fully prepared for the impending baby boy.

"We had this big party on Sunday... a couple hundred people showed up in and out," Hampton said. "It was just so nice. I was really shocked at how giving the customers were."

The franchise owner told Patch that through the generosity of the community, Joe and Annie had been given diapers, baby bags, a breast pump—all the necessities for first-time parents.

And then, three days after the shower, it was all taken away after a midday car burglary—including the list compiles of all of the gifts with their gifters' names.

"To take baby things is unbelievable," Hampton said. "There was expensive stuff... clothing, baskets, diapers were taken, wipes were taken, a Diaper Genie, a breast pump was taken, diaper bags."

According to Hampton, a thief broke open the driver's side window of Joe and Annie's car, which was parked in the parking lot behind the bagel shop on Feb. 13. Their insurance will not cover the broken window, Hampton said.

"These people knew there was alarm because they wouldn't open the doors. They took everything threw the window," she said, except for a box of diapers that wouldn't fit through the space.

Hampton said brand new car parts that were in the vehicle and $900 in cash from wallets were also taken. She said they're still putting together an estimate of the value of all that was taken and a report has been filed with the Sheriff's Department.

As for leaving the gifts in the car, Hampton said the young couple simply just didn't have time to unload the gifts.

"They haven't had any time... they work constantly and are going to doctor's visits," she said.

Hampton said a registration was found in the trash can nearby, possibly from the suspect who used some of the baby clothes to wipe up a mess inside the car.

"One of our customers took like six months to knit this nice blanket," Hampton said. "That got taken. That's not something that can be replaced."

Annie is due March 6, but Hampton said she'll most likely deliver early.

"We had this beautiful shower, it turned out way better than we thought it would and now all of a sudden it's all [ruined]."