Victoria police are searching for a real-life Grinch who looted 10 bags of children's toys from the Salvation Army.

Officers were called to the 2600-block of Quadra Street on Wednesday.

Staff, who parked a truck containing the gifts in the non-profit's lot a day earlier, returned to find it was empty.

"Inside were 10 bags of donated children's toys," Victoria police said in a news release.

The file remains under investigation and police are asking anyone with information to call them at 250-995-7654 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.