'Hood Santa' heartbroken after thieves steal toys from truck; How you can help

In a Downey driveway sits a huge U-Haul filled with hundreds of toys for underprivileged kids. But there were twice as many until last weekend. 

Tito Rodriguez is known as the Hood Santa. He dresses as the jolly old Santa and gathers thousands of toys for the neighborhood. Rodriguez is saddened because every year for the past 13 years, he, his Local Hearts Foundation, and SOS Music have been throwing concerts at a venue in Downtown LA to gather toys. The price of the ticket includes donating a toy.

"Sunday morning, we showed up and the van had been hit," he said. 

They had taken over half of the toys in the U-Haul.

Rodriguez says the person watching the truck went to get coffee, and the Grinches stole the toys and tossed them in another truck after trying to pop the ignition and cutting the lock, exposing the toys. 

"It's horrible because we're doing something good for children. We're trying to bring some toys to under-resourced families, and it's heartbreaking," Rodriguez said.

This case is similar to what happened at the Pomona Fairplex after a toy drive last month. Organizers say thieves were caught on camera taking dozens of toys that were meant for underserved kids.

Back in Downey, the Hood Santa, who has provided turkeys to the needy at Thanksgiving, provided baskets at Easter, and helped kids with cancer, is asking for help now. 

"Right now we're asking the community to come together and help us get more toys for the kids," he said.

If you'd like to donate, you can find more information on localheartfoundation.org for Tito Rodriguez's organization. And for the Fairplex toy drive, you can reach out at https://www.instagram.com/nomorelockeddoors.inc/