Sandra J. Bauers, a Belleville, IL mother of two, is in jail after sheriff’s deputies say she stole her own children’s Christmas presents and pawned them to buy crack cocaine.
Bauers was located at a Belleville motel driving a car that detectives say she stole from her mother. The presents had been stored in the back of the vehicle but deputies say they were nowhere to be found.
Capt. Steve Johnson said, “The mom is leaving in this vehicle that she stole from her mom and all the presents are gone.”
“She doesn’t have a drivers license, holding in her hand is a crack pipe (sic) and had stated that she just smoked crack cocaine. She stated she sold all the kids presents for crack cocaine.”
Bauers was jailed and held on a $50,000 bond. A sheriff’s deputy recovered about 80 percent of the gifts. They had been pawned at an East St. Louis convenience store.
Detective says the store’s owner was very cooperative and returned the gifts.
