A 51 Division officer played Santa to a St. Jamestown family who had their Christmas dinner stolen two days before the holiday, delivering a turkey and trimmings on Christmas Eve.

Sergeant Abdul Nuri had responded to a radio call at the building for an elderly man with a medical emergency, when he was alerted to the theft by security officers at the building, just after midnight on Tuesday, December 22.

“I promised them I would replace the food,” said Nuri, of the pledge he made to the family after taking their report to police. He called on fellow officer Sergeant Aly Virji, who put him in touch with contacts that led him to the Yonge St. Mission, who provided the food. “We have great resources in this city. The police are a conduit between the community and social agencies.”

Florence McKinnon was tearful when Nuri delivered the goods to her Toronto Community Housing apartment on Christmas Eve.

“He helped us out very much and he said he would replace it and he came through – thank you very much,” said the 62-year-old grandmother, who will be cooking alongside her daughters this year. “It takes a big burden off of me. I truly didn’t have the money to replace that food. I would have been stuck. I would have pulled through but it wouldn’t be a normal Christmas.”