Sunday, December 18, 2011
Staff report
STRUTHERS
Police were taking numerous reports from throughout the city Friday about vandalized and stolen Christmas decorations.
At least 10 cases were reported by early afternoon, a dispatcher said.
Police report that on Como Street on Friday morning, a woman said landscaping and plants were damaged at her home. Decorations were vandalized and stolen at a house on Edison Street.
On Thursday night, Christmas decorations were vandalized on West Wilson Street. Decorations also were stolen from a Grandview Avenue home, and vandals hit a home on Maplewood Avenue.
At the Maplewood Avenue home, the homeowner had a security camera because of previous vandalism. The video shows “a young male and female” ripping the head off a lighted deer and then running away, police report. The pair can’t be identified.
Police Chief Tim Roddy said there definitely was vandalism, but some of the damage could have been attributed to the wind.
“It was very windy,” he said.
Police have recovered items and are trying to match them with reports that come in, they said.
They have a metal “’Tis the Season” gift-box sign, a metal in-ground snowman, three light-up presents, four in-ground candy canes, an in-ground stick-figure Santa, an in-ground stick-figure snowman, an in-ground wooden Santa with a “Merry Christmas” sign, an in-ground wooden snowman with a “Welcome” sign, a plastic light-up snowman and an in-ground snowman with a “Let it Snow” sign.
Officer Jon Tracy said witnesses reported seeing three people running during the vandalism spree. He said that in many cases, people heard noises outside but did not check on their property.
“If people see or hear anything in the late-night hours, call us to check,” he said. Call police at 330-755-9849.