RICE-MILITARY – A man was seen on surveillance video stealing Christmas decorations from the yards and front doors of neighbors’ homes in the Rice Military area.
Alex Pham bought his first home in the neighborhood this year on Rose Street and said he was excited to bring on the Christmas spirit, decorating it from top to bottom with his loved ones.
However, on Wednesday early morning around 3:30 a.m., some of Pham’s and his neighbors’ decorations were stolen from their homes.
“They just come in [at] 3 a.m.,” Pham said. “There’s no traffic, there’s nobody around. I think it’s ridiculous. Why would you steal Christmas decorations?”
Pham’s surveillance video shows a black sedan dropping off the suspect outside his home. The suspect is then seen walking to the neighbors’ yard.
That home belongs to Richard Anderson and his family including his 4 and 6-year-old daughters who loved their Christmas decorations and inflatables of Frozen’s Olaf snowman and Sky from the Paw Patrol children’s show.
“This morning, my wife sent me a text message, saying ‘Oh, my God! Someone’s taken the inflatables!” Anderson said. “So, we had an Olaf here and a Sky over there.”
Both were taken from their yard overnight.
“[My 6-year-old daughter] was really bummed this morning when she came out, particularly that Olaf was gone because they love giving them hugs,” Anderson said.
In Pham’s other doorbell Ring video, the suspect is seen carrying the neighbor’s Olaf and Sky inflatables and then taking Pham’s door Christmas tree decoration.
Other neighbors reported missing decorations around the same time on Rose Street.
Another woman said her wreath was taken from outside her door. She said the zip ties were cut.
“I don’t even know what you would get out of it. They weren’t very expensive to begin with,” Anderson said.
Neighbors said that at the end of the day, stealing is not the answer.
“I think the thing that shocked most of my neighbors is that he didn’t seem to care,” Pham said.
Pham put up an ADT sign and is warning neighbors about the thief.
“I am even considering chaining stuff down, but it’s ridiculous that I have to consider that,” Pham said.
Ultimately, these neighbors said they hope the stealing stops.
Other neighbors, including Pham, have noticed an increase in package and property theft in the neighborhood as well over the last few months.