The Grinch came to Whitehorse last night, and made off with Christmas.

Someone got into the Yukon Convention Centre at the High Country Inn and stole more than $10,000 worth of goods donated to the Yukon Hospital Foundation's Christmas fund-raiser, event producer Charlene Alexander told the Star today.

"A decorator came in this morning and realized things were gone," she said.

Whitehorse RCMP confirmed that an investigation is underway. The theft was reported at 9:11 a.m. today, said Sgt. Glenn Ramsay. Investigators, including a forensics team, were sent to the scene.

Among the items stolen was a 40-inch LCD flat panel TV, donated by Erik's Audiotronic. Store manager Mike Pemberton said the store will replace the $1,300 television immediately.

"I guess it may go under the High Country's insurance," he said of the replacement cost, "but we don't care about that; it's more important that the fund-raiser take place."

Staff at a local dealership confirmed that a new snowmobile the company donated to the foundation was also stolen, but would not say how much the snow machine is worth. A store manager declined to comment on the theft until the police investigation is complete.

"It's a horrible, horrible thing," hospital corporation chair Craig Tuton said this afternoon.

"I just hope that one day the person who did it will walk into the hospital in need of help and they'll think about what they've done."

Tuton said he believes the High Country's insurance will likely cover the loss and that the sponsors will replace everything that was stolen.

The hospital foundation is raising money for a new CT scanner for Whitehorse General Hospital. The new machine will cost an estimated $1.2 million, foundation board member Jason Bilsky said today.

The foundation has already raised nearly $900,000 and is hoping that the Christmas campaign will produce the remaining $300,000 needed.

"All indications are that everything is a go," he said of fund-raising efforts planned for this weekend.

"The Seniors' Soirée and Rudolph's Grand Ball will go on in spite of all this."

Both events will be held at the convention centre.

The auction will be held during the Saturday night ball.

"It's really heartless, Tuton said. "It's like stealing from the Christmas kettle.

"I'm sure that all the sponsors are going to understand and help us out.

"We have people actually hitting the airplane to Chicago to look at the equipment on Saturday," Tuton said.

"We're shooting for an April start date, when the scanner will be up and running and the staff will be trained to operate it."