A wagon vanished from the playground of Ready-Set-Go Child Development Center in Portsmouth early Tuesday morning, caught on surveillance video showing a hooded person and a dog strolling by, noticing the wagon, loading the dog inside, and walking off with it. The theft happened around 4 a.m. at the facility located at 4401 Portsmouth Blvd., and it came just days after owner Cherita Jenkins says a large group trespassed on the same property for two-and-a-half hours.
Jenkins, who has worked in the childcare industry for decades, said she could not believe someone would take the wagon, according to WAVY.com. She filed a police report over the theft but has not recovered the wagon, and the station notes that the Portsmouth Police Department had not yet responded to its request for more details on the incident. Ready-Set-Go is a state-licensed child day facility, License No. 1108511, authorized to care for up to 25 children ranging from one month to 12 years old, operating Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to Winnie.
A Separate Trespassing Incident Days Earlier
The wagon theft was not an isolated headache for Jenkins. Days before, the report notes, another group got onto the daycare's property without permission, reaching inside a locked gate to pull toys across it before letting themselves in. That group then played with toys on the property and remained there for two-and-a-half hours, per the same account.
Under Virginia Code § 18.2-128, entering or remaining on school or child care property without authorization, or after being directed to leave, is a Class 1 misdemeanor offense, according to Shamgar Security Solutions. The wagon theft itself falls under a separate statute: taking property valued under $1,000 constitutes petit larceny under Virginia Code § 18.2-96, also a Class 1 misdemeanor, per Tate Bywater Law.
Jenkins Weighs New Security Measures
In response to both incidents, Jenkins is weighing additional security options for the center. She's already begun placing toys and wagons in the center of the gated playground under lock and key, and she's warning nearby businesses and residents to stay vigilant.
The daycare's troubles land amid a broader shift in Portsmouth's property crime picture. Portsmouth Police Chief Stephen Jenkins (no relation noted in available reporting) told City Council in April that while overall city crime fell more than 5% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the prior year, thefts from buildings jumped by more than 200%, according to WVEC. That spike stands in contrast to the city's longer trend: Portsmouth recorded 2,837 larceny-theft offenses and 3,751 total property crimes in 2024, down 15% from 4,412 property crimes in 2023, which itself followed a peak of 4,784 property crimes in 2022, according to data compiled by OpenCrime.
Regulatory and Reporting Options for Daycare Owners
State regulators are also paying closer attention to facility safety. The Virginia Board of Education adopted multi-year revised regulations for licensed child day centers in September aimed at strengthening physical facility safety and aligning standards across the Commonwealth, requiring centers to meet strict structural, fencing, and safety requirements to keep their operating permits, per the Virginia Department of Education.
Portsmouth also offers tools for business owners dealing with theft or trespassing. The city's Police Department runs a Crime Analysis Unit and an online Police to Citizen Portal where residents and business owners can report incidents and track local crime patterns, according to the City of Portsmouth. Separately, the Portsmouth Crime Line, an independent nonprofit that partners with regional law enforcement across Hampton Roads, filters anonymous tips and offers cash rewards for information on property theft and trespassing suspects. Whether investigators have connected the wagon theft to the earlier trespassing incident, or identified any suspects through surveillance footage or tips, remains unclear.
