Thieves steal $250 of Girl Scout cookies from 8-year-old
DALLAS - Friends and neighbors in a West Oak Cliff neighborhood are rallying around a group of Girl Scouts after crooks stole several cases of Girl Scout cookies.
The theft over the weekend happened so fast that the girls weren't able to get a look at the crooks. But thanks to the power of social media and some good neighbors, there is a positive ending to the story.
Young Sunny Smith is learning a grown-up lesson at a very young age: Sometimes people can be cruel and heartless.
"I was mad because those cookies costed money," the 8-year-old said.
Last Saturday, Sunny, her dad and two sisters were out selling Girl Scout cookies in their neighborhood. They were making a sale to a neighbor on Woodmere Drive when two people in a white Dodge Charger drove up and stole five cases of cookies out of the kid's wagon. It was parked on the sidewalk. The stolen cases of cookies were valued at $250.
"I feel made inside and angry because they did wrong to their spirit," Sunny said.
"I cried," Amy Smith, Sunny's mom, admitted. "I did because it was sad that that happened. My kids were violated."
Amy called police and posted an alert on Nextdoor. Within hours, dozens of neighbors responded and wanted to help.
The response was so overwhelming that Sunny decided to set up a stand in front of her home Wednesday afternoon. She brought out the rest of the Girl Scout cookies and some homemade lemonade to pay for the cost of the stolen boxes.
Neighbors showed up with money in hand, restoring Mom's hope in humanity.
"What a great lesson for my kids to learn that community is stronger than any bad guy could ever be," Amy said.
Sunny's mom says they raised $364. That means the extra $112 will be used to send Girl Scout cookies to U.S. soldiers serving overseas.