Wis. thieves take off with family's presents

PORTAGE, Wis. A man and woman have been charged with felony burglary in Columbia County after allegedly stealing a family's Christmas presents from beneath their tree.

"To steal the gifts under the Christmas tree -- just heartless," said Detective Lt. Roger Brandner of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office to the Portage Daily Register.

Forty-six-year-old Charlene Gordon of Portage and 43-year-old Dean Jansma of rural Cambria are accused of taking 15 wrapped presents meant for four children in the town of Scott on Monday, the Portage Daily Register reports

According to a criminal complaint, the family returned Monday after shopping and dinner to find the presents missing.

Brandner said detectives made arrests within 24 hours by tracing pawn store records to Jansma and connecting Jansma to Gordon through additional records. He added the suspects were not cooperative and did not tell the police where they dumped the presents.

"It sure throws a wrench in things for them," Brandner said. "With financial struggles most families are going through, to buy presents and not have them just makes it harder on everyone."