SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A University Heights mother is trying to spread awareness after several Christmas gifts she bought for her children were stolen just days before the holidays.
Kristin Lyons says the gifts were taken from a private garage area early Friday morning. Surveillance video from her home and a neighbor appears to show a man entering the garage area and leaving with the presents.
“It’s something no one wants to experience — especially around this time of year,” Lyons said.
Lyons tells ABC 10News she had done her Christmas shopping early, trying to stay ahead as a working mom. She says she hid the gifts in the garage Thursday night, hoping to keep them out of sight of her children. By the next morning, they were gone.
“I just did some early Christmas shopping and tried to be ahead of the game,” Lyons said. “I tried to get them wrapped early.”
What followed, she says, was heartbreaking.
“It’s really heartbreaking to have somebody else take your kids’ gifts that you know you’ve prepared for,” Lyons said.
Lyons walked me through surveillance footage that appears to show a man entering the private garage area where the gifts were stored. By Friday morning, the presents were missing.
“It was pretty devastating — it’s still devastating,” she said. “This is a place we call home, and we want to feel safe.”
Lyons has lived near Park Boulevard and Adams Avenue for about eight years. She says this incident feels like part of a broader, concerning trend she’s noticed in the neighborhood.
“There’s been an increase in foot traffic in the area, and with that has led to a little bit more crime, unfortunately,” Lyons said.
According to San Diego Police Department data, the University Heights neighborhood recorded 429 reported crimes in 2023. Property crimes — including theft and burglary — accounted for the majority, with 301 reported cases.
While Lyons hopes the person responsible will return the gifts — some of which she describes as sentimental — she also wants to raise awareness and encourage neighbors to remain vigilant during the holiday season.
“Hopefully we can get some more patrolling in our community,” Lyons said. “With the theft and some of the drinking and driving, more safety patrolling would really help our community feel safer.”
Lyons encourages anyone with information about the theft to contact police.
