Robbers Have Change of Heart Once They Find Out Who They Stole From

Candy Stallings was devastated when she discovered the California nonprofit she helped run had been broken into and robbed of six of its computers.

Then something unexpected happened.

The thieves came back and returned everything.

A note that came with the return of all the stolen goods. (Image source: KCAL-TV)

The victim of the robbery was San Bernardino County Sexual Assault Services, which is run out of an unmarked building out of sensitivity for the people it seeks to help.

Stallings was first alerted to the break-in when she received a call from the security company on July 31 noticing motion in the charity's suite. The robbers had entered the building through a crawlspace and tried to disable the alarm.

"I was just so devastated because six computers had been taken and I mean they're just vital to this operation," Stallings told KABC-TV.

The thieves were gone by the time police arrived, but it wasn't long before the authorities were calling Stallings again about more suspicious activity.

KCAL-TV reported that when Stallings returned to the assault services center she found a shopping cart holding all the stolen equipment. Inside one of the laptops was a note reading [sic]: "We had no idea what we were takeing. Here your stuff back. We hope that you guys can continue to make a difference in people's lives. God Bless."

"One minute I'm devastated, and the next minute I just thought, 'Wow, this is just incredible,'" Stallings said.

San Bernardino Police Lt. Paul Williams told KABC he'd never seen anything like it.

"In many years and decades of being in law enforcement, I've never seen someone return an item out of guilt," Williams said.

While pleased that the nonprofit's property was returned, the damage caused by the robbers still set the center back about $5,000.

(H/T: Daily Mail)

--

[related]