Someone Trashed and Stole Our Christmas Decorations...

Updated on December 04, 2011
J.F. asks from Bloomington, IN
12 answers

So we were on our way out this morning and realized that someone ripped all our candy canes out and light hooks out of the ground and stole the two snow children we had made. We have a mom and dad, and then the two that represented our girls. Took them. Made me feel like someone took our kids...not really...but it made me sick.

I cannot tell you how upsetting this is and how hard it is to explain to our 4 year old daughter. She knows we called the police and wants to know if the police are doing a good job watching our house now. UGH! She worried that the dog would be ok while we were gone today (to the circus).

The wooden cut-outs are one-of-a-kind. We'll have to remake them to replace them. We've only had them finished and up for 1 week. The most upsetting part is that this all happened outside my daughter's window. BARF!

Another house on the street was hit, too. They also called the police. They will step up patrols.

My question is: Can you think of anyway of trying to get these back? Do you think posting it on Craigslist and FB would help? I know realistically they are probably long gone, but this is a small tight knit community. I even thought about putting up wanted posters. :)

Makes you wonder about man kind, doesn't it?

What can I do next?

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So What Happened?

I just posted it on CL and looked to see if they were for sale. I put the note in the ad that made it very clear that they hurt a 4 year old. Will look into writing the newspaper, no other media in the area.

Am thinking of putting up a few signs in the neighborhood, too....once it stops raining....and after the sleet/snow comes.

Is it weird that I was given a neighborhood watch flier YESTERDAY afternoon from a neighbor? I've not met him before, but we are new here. It had numbers for the police departments. I used that to make my call this morning.

I'm thinking twice about staying here. We are renting until we decide to buy. Was considering this house and this neighborhood. Do any of you remember me asking about my doorbell ringing and no one there a couple of months ago.....hmmmmm.

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L.A.

answers from Denver on

So sad! It sounds like a bunch of drunk kids. If it is a small town, maybe put something in the paper asking if anybody has seen them. Maybe one of the kids is stashing the decorations at a friends house.

3 moms found this helpful

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L.P.

answers from Pittsfield on

Sounds like someone who's heart is 3 sizes too small :/

5 moms found this helpful
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V.G.

answers from Houston on

We live in a family-knit community and about 4 years ago, on Christmas Eve, we were playing a board game and heard some commotion outside. Was a carload of teenagers and one was stomping on our Santa/Frosty/Grinch blow ups. Hubby ran out there to yell at them and he got the license #. Called the sheriff, who came out, and guess what? It was his daughter's car! He came for details but never an apology. The dad of the kid who did the stomping came by to write a check, but we said we didn't want $, we wanted replacements. He was agitated, and after a couple days, said they couldn't find the exact items. Figured that, but wanted them to see what it meant to us, not just the $$. You don't just toss money at someone and they are good. Sorry for your experience.

4 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

If you have pictures of them - post a "lost" poster....I know they weren't lost - but that just sucks! i'm sooo sorry!!

check out Craiglist - if you see them posted there - call the police and let them handle it.

check out ebay as well...people are desperate and do totally stupid things...

I hope that you find them!

4 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

We had it happen here, it was bored teens. Never could prove anything nothing was ever returned.

It was sad because one of our neighbors had those displays that are on the news every year. He gave up after four years of being vandalized.

3 moms found this helpful
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P.M.

answers from Portland on

Aww, J., that is so sad. We feel so personally violated when our home, or expressions of our personhood, are thoughtlessly attacked.

I don't wonder about humankind. I recognize that there are, and always will be, people who are so desperate they'll steal, people who steal as a thrill, people who trash property because they are angry and alienated, people who think of nothing beyond their own interests. Fortunately, those folks are more than balanced by honest, well-intentioned, responsible, helpful and kind people.

You were the unlucky target of someone whose intentions were not honorable. I hope that as you recover from this, you'll let all the caring people around you rebuild your faith in our basic goodness. I don't know what to suggest about recovering your unique art pieces, but I hope you do. Meanwhile, I'm sending you and your daughter a hug.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I would post on FB and ask your friends to repost. Those kinds of things go viral. I'm sorry that your cutouts were stolen. Probably juvenile delinquents.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Redding on

That is so sad.
Probably just idiots pulling a prank.
Since you live in a small, tight-knit community, someone, somewhere knows what happened.

I would somehow post or get out the word that you would like the decorations back, no questions asked. If it was stupid kids who dragged them home, hopefully the parents would make them bring them back.
It's not like they can be displayed anywhere else without them being recognized.

Maybe write a letter to your local newspaper's editorial section.
That would get the word out and also help others to keep a close eye on their yards.
You may just be able to get them back.
I certainly hope so.

I live in a tiny community as well and some people go all out. No one has ever bothered anything.

I hope you can recover your items.

Best wishes.

2 moms found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from Tulsa on

Do you have a photo? I would totally post on the internet plus phone the media. People might turn the thieves in and you might get your items returned.

2 moms found this helpful

A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

It can't hurt to post on craigslist and FB. Maybe someone will see the stuff and turn in the culprit. Someone stole my outside fire pit last night. They dumped out the ashes and took the bottom part of the pit but not the lid. Strange. My husband received a call this week from a security company asking us to allow them to install a system and allow them to put a sign in the yard. He declined. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

2 moms found this helpful
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A.C.

answers from Savannah on

:( That's really sucky.

1 mom found this helpful
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K..

answers from Phoenix on

My guess is that tweakers stole them & will probably sell them on CL for money.

I'm sorry that happened. How awful :-(

One year someone smashed our pumpkin at Halloween, when I was younger. I remember how devastated I was. I feel for your daughter.

1 mom found this helpful
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