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Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010 | 6:31 p.m.
Vera Lopez
Metro Police have arrested a woman accused of obtaining toys and gift cards from the Southern Nevada Burn Foundation for needy children, then using the gift cards herself and failing to distribute the toys.
Vera Lopez, 41, was arrested Monday on four counts of burglary, two counts of obtaining money under false pretenses and two counts of obtaining property under false pretenses. She was being held at Clark County Detention Center on $35,000 bail.
According to police, she requested toys from the SNBF using a fictitious document that claimed she was partnered with a local non-profit organization. Police said she requested 2,200 toys and gift cards for a party she said she was having for needy children.
She received more than 150 toys and about 75 $10 Walmart gift cards. Police allege Lopez spent the gift cards on groceries, personal clothing, a car battery and a Christmas tree. Police said she held a Christmas party but did not provide any toys to needy children.
Officers searched her residence and arrested her Monday, police said. The toys were recovered and returned to SNBF, police said.
Lopez is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 6.
Scum
It's a shame some people will use the holidays to take advantage of the generous spirit of others.
This woman should run for political office.
Hopefully no one will bail her out and she will get to spend the Holidays in Jail with time to think about how she screwed many others out of what could have been a nice Xmas.
Really is to bad there are people like this. She is worse then the ones running around stealing peoples Xmas decorations. There are some pretty low people these days.
Bah, HUMBUG!!!
What a thoughtless twit.
I would slow down a little on pointing fingers at someone this time of year. I have been a bondsman for 15 yrs here and during the holidays, property crimes do go up. With this recession, I have seen over the last few years, that normal everyday people are committing these acts more out of desperation to be able to provide for their family. If you look at the items that she purchased, it was for items of NEED and also to provide a decent Christmas for her own family. This doesn't make this right, but if put into the same position, desperation is a strong influence when our family's welfare is at stake.
Vera,I Bet your crying and praying to god,that your inlaws will be getting you out.I Hope they keep you in there.Sadly,they will get you out.I Just pity my ex inlaws.They still have you.
Mr Bondsman you have got to be kidding me. Why don't you do some research before you open your mouth. She has been dsoing this for years. Desparation is a very retarded word for a career criminal con artist who has been claiming to be a teen counselor for the past several years. What a joke. I have bought no presents for no one. We are spoiled and expect too much.
let her keep all the gifts but burn her at the stake!
Wondering if her family can use the remaining stolen gift cards to bail her out...what a scumbag.
bondsman, I've had a very "slow" year work wise. I.E. a lot less income. We have made cuts wherever possible and then some. We never resorted to stealing from others when cash was short. Never even considered it. They need to lock her up in the same cell with the teacher they just busted. My son just had to spend what was to be his Christmas money replacing the window in his truck because someone broke into it, using your logic, we should feel sorry for the thief who smashed his window and stole his belongings (which were not in plain sight). They need to make sure the thief in this article gets to eat jail food for Christmas dinner this year.
Again....WTF is going on in this world?? And WTF is wrong with people?
I don't buy the "she was trying to provide for her family". BullSh&t to that! She has no conscience. Most selfish evil people don't.
In desperate need for a christmas tree to the point of ripping off a burn foundation for needy children.She would have to enlist the aid of the devil themself to have come up with that one.And then there are people who think we should have sympathy for this devil.Put yourself on Craigslist or something and ask for a dam tree and a few presents for God's sakes,not devise the most elaborate devious and evil scheme on the most vulnerable of children to do so.Doe's someone consiously try to find the worst way to go about getting what they want?I haven't a clue how anyone can rationalise how this was suppose to be a happy occurance for Christs' birthday.
roguerunner
People have forgotten a long time ago why we celebrate Christmas, and it has nothing to do with buying presents and running up your credit card or stealing for that matter.
I see people at the malls desperately searching for those oblibatory gifts who look like they have pinched quite a few pennies on themselves all year.How many of these people will miss out on thir rent obligations come January because of this annual obligatory outlay?I know people who are frugal and thrifty all year and then smoke a hole in their pocket in the end,and then they become the new desperate.Were too brainwashed to resist the marketing takeover of Christmas and actually focus on the spiritual nature of this event.
There is no shortage of selfish a-holes.
She probably thought she was being extremely clever.
Prosecution (and punishment) "to the fullest extent of the law" sounds like an appropriate "gift" for her.
stay classy honey ...
The loving Christian attitude expressed by so many of these commenters just warms my heart this holiday season. Good will towards men....yeah!
The grinch(ette) who stole Christmas. No excuse for this. Maximum punishment, If possible I'd like to see her have to stand outside a mall wearing a sign stating what she did.
Ok FRM,let's all go down to the jailhouse and bail her out,you can bring the eggnog.Mabey we can catch a performance of Blessed Be The Little Children while were down there.All in spirit of the holidays.
Doubt she was stealing as a last resort. This was a crime of opportunity. She had the opportunity and took it. No doubt there are people out there who are desperate during these economic times, but you cannot steal. I would love to see how she exhausted all her other options (charities, red cross, family)....doubt she did anything than conjure up a scheme to steal.
lopez...shocker.