More Than 500 "Toys 'R' Us" Shopping Carts Go Missing
By MEREDITH TRAINA | wpix.com

2:15 p.m. EST, December 27, 2009
BRONX, N.Y. (WPIX)—
Shoppers at the new Bronx "Toys 'R' Us" have their hands full... and we don't mean with holiday returns.

More than 500 shopping carts at the toy store were stolen throughout the holiday season, police said. Store employees say they've been left with just one measly Target shopping cart.

It's entire inventory of shopping carts slowly disappeared, beginning on Black Friday -- the official start of the the holiday shopping season. By the time people were trying to snag some last minute gifts, they were stuck lugging around an arms full of toys. Others say they simply left out of frustration.

Cops are now investigating how the carts went missing from the new store at the Gateway Center Mall on E. 149th St.

Investigators suspect an organized gang may have pilfered the carts, and sold the scrap metal for cash. Other suspect homeless people may have begun taking the carts to carry their possessions.

Each cart costs about $200 a piece.

A spokesman for the New Jersey-based toy chain had no comment.