EL CAJON, Calif. - An El Cajon family is on a mission to find the owner of a stolen present just in time for Christmas.
"I just feel really bad for someone. It's not cool for the holidays," said Haley Sweeting.
On Wednesday afternoon, at her home on Ellen Lane, Sweeting went to check out some objects resting on the back cover of her mother's truck, which was parked in the driveway.
"I saw two gifts with torn wrapping paper that were just mashed," said Sweeting.
Of the two torn presents, one was empty.
"It was ripped and you could sort of see what was inside," said Sweeting.
In the photo her mother took, the corner of something with a floral pattern can be seen.
"It looked like an apron, definitely handmade or sewn," said Sweeting.
A few feet away from the truck, she found some shredded wrapping paper, and then right on this grass, there was another trashed gift box that was also empty.
When Sweeting took a closer look, she found a clue.
"It was on one of the empty boxes. It had a sticker tag that read, 'To Mom, From Larry and Jodene,'" said Sweeting.
Sweeting turned the gifts over to police, and she and her family then went online, posting the photo on the East County Emergency Updates Facebook page, all in the hopes of finding the gift's rightful owners.
"I'm hoping that gift from someone who cared can get under its rightful tree. That would be a nice Christmas miracle," said Sweeting.
If you think you know who Larry or Jodene might be, call El Cajon police.
