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Mom: Car thief stole kids' Christmas too

ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 22 (UPI) -- A Minnesota woman says a thief made off with her boyfriend's car, along with about $1,000 worth of Christmas gifts for her children in the car's trunk.

Erika Baltazar's boyfriend's maroon 2004 Saturn Ion was stolen from outside her St. Paul home early Tuesday, the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press reported.

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Baltazar, who lives on the West Side with her boyfriend, Alex Escoto, and their five children, said she stowed an Xbox 360, Barbie dolls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figures, a Strawberry Shortcake Kitchen, a prepaid cellphone, clothes and more gifts in the trunk of her boyfriend's car because her kids, all younger than 13, "like to get nosy."

Balthazar said she and Escoto buy Christmas presents after "saving everything we can each year."

"This has taken a complete emotional toll on me," said Baltazar, who stays home with the kids.

Baltazar said she doesn't want the Christmas presents replaced by others in a giving spirit this holiday season. She'd prefers the donation of community action.

"We don't have a good neighborhood watch," Baltazar said. "I want people to band together."

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