Gift cards and checks stolen from Make-A-Wish New Mexico office

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Make-A-Wish New Mexico office was broken into late Sunday night. Thieves took off with a laptop and a safe full of donated gift cards and Make-A-Wish checks.

"I came in like any other normal morning, unlocked my door, came inside and noticed the breeze. Looked down, saw that the window blinds were completely ripped open, and, at first, I thought there must’ve been some kind of accident," said Sara Lister, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish New Mexico.

Make-A-Wish New Mexico is a nonprofit that grants wishes to critically-ill children in the state.

"I was livid. I was just so upset. I mean, to steal from anybody is awful. But, the moment you come into this space, you can see that we are Make-A-Wish,” said Lister.

Lister’s office is filled with mementos of the impact of their work.

"One of them is from a wish sister who we granted her little brother’s wish. And so, she wanted to say thank you. And I have them all up in my office just to remind me, every day, how lucky I am to do this job and the lives we get to touch," Lister said.

Surveillance footage captured a person on a motorcycle driving near the building late Sunday night. It appears the same motorcycle – followed closely by a dark sedan – came by earlier on Sunday as well.

"I’m just upset. I’m just upset that somebody would do this to kids,” said Lister.

The thieves made off with a safe full of donated gift cards, Make-A-Wish checks and Lister’s company laptop. All in all, she estimates it was several thousand dollars worth of items.

"And I just feel like it’s happening all too often in our community right now and I don’t know how to make it stop," Lister said.

To donate to Make-a-Wish New Mexico, click here.