After 5-year-old autistic boy’s gifts are stolen, NJ cops deliver a merry Christmas

Call them Santa Cops: A half-dozen South Brunswick police officers have made sure a 5-year-old autistic boy could celebrate a merry Christmas this year.

According to the police department, last week, police took a report of a robbery to a Dayton home and learned someone had stolen presents a single mother planned to give to her boy.

"The mom explained that she had spent all her money buying the gifts and was unable to replace them," South Brunswick police said in a statement.

The officers decided something had to be done. So working with their local PBA, they not only bought the boy presents — they bought him twice as many as had been stolen, police said.

The officers showed up on Christmas Eve morning with the gifts.

“These are the kind of officers that make up the outstanding department we have.” Chief Raymond Hayducka said. “They wanted to make sure this little boy had a Christmas this year and pulled together to make it possible. They represent the best of our department.”

The investigation into the burglary is ongoing, police said.