Kingwood, Texas – During the season of giving, some neighbors in the Kingwood area want to know who’s stealing Christmas decorations.
“We woke up in the morning and they were gone,” said resident Melissa Whitehead.
Whitehead was referring to an inflatable Santa Claus and reindeer display as well as a seesaw decoration. Whitehead said everything disappeared from her front yard about a week ago.
“We’ve been decorating for 25 years now, and we’ve never had anything stolen,” she said.
Just days later, her next-door neighbors said they discovered three of their inflatables were gone, including a Christmas tree and a massive Santa.
“It’s unfortunate people are at a state today that they feel like they can take something that is not theirs and not even think twice about it,” said neighbor Bill Grimes.
A few blocks away, Josh Ludy said he’s missing two inflatable decorations. Unlike the other two neighbors, Ludy has surveillance video of someone removing the items from his front yard earlier in the week.
“It felt a little discouraging but more so just sad that someone would stoop to that level,” said Ludy.
For Whitehead, the decorations are for people to enjoy, not take. She said it was difficult to explain to her grandson what happened.
“I think in his own mind he’s thinking of the Grinch and he’s hoping that they would grow a heart and bring the stuff back just like in the movie, but that remains to be seen,” Whitehead said.
The three neighbors said they have all spoken with the police.
One of the neighbors plans to have cameras installed in the next few days.