Ringling Bros.' to Replace Toys Swiped From Lutz Church

LUTZ, FL – Grinches may have managed to drive off with a trailer full of toys Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean Tampa Bay area children will have to wake up Christmas morning without presents.

Feld Entertainment, the producers of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, announced Friday afternoon they intend to not only replace what the thieves stole, but more than double the value.

“At Feld Entertainment, we believe in the value of family and partnership.” Bill Powell, regional vice president at Feld Entertainment, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with Keystone Community Church to brighten the holidays for these children.”

Feld intends to donate more than $10,000 in toys from its Feld Toy Box. Those toys will be delivered Dec. 23 along with 100 tickets to the upcoming Ringling Bros.’ run at Amalie Arena Jan. 6-10, 2016.

Keystone Community Church, 21010 State Road 54, has long served as a collection point for food and toys for Metropolitan Ministries during the holiday season. The church’s location inside Pasco County, right near the Hillsborough County line, makes it a convenient stop for many residents in both area.

Keystone has a simple mission, “We love God and we love others,” Pastor Gary Edwards was quoted by ABC as saying after the theft. “This is our way to love others.”

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has estimated the crime took place sometime between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. Wednesday. The toys originally collected would have gone to help fill Metropolitan Ministries’ holiday tent, which serves families in Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

Feld Entertainment is based in Palmetto, Fla.

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