Grinch steals Christmas trees from W. Roxbury store

By Sarah N. Mattero, Globe Correspondent

More than a dozen Christmas trees slated to be sold for charity were stolen from a West Roxbury outdoor supply store, Boston police said.

“Nobody’s ever done anything like this to us before,” said Albert Todesca, owner of AJT Supplies on Washington Street. “And this is my 10th year selling trees.”

The trees, the proceeds of which were to be donated to local children’s hospitals, were reported missing around 8 a.m. Saturday, along with a stereo and CDs from the store’s shed, police said. Todesca said that he has donated more than $15,000 to children’s hospitals in the last five years by selling the trees.

Todesca suspects the thieves came sometime after the store closed at 9:30 p.m. on Friday and pulled the trees over a fence.

“Our radio was ripped right off of the wall,” Todesca said. “A detective found a CD in the parking lot.” The storeowner said police told him they are on the lookout for people trying to sell trees on the side of the road or in the front of their homes.

Boston Police urge anyone with information on the theft to call 617-343-4566.