Thieves Snatch Holiday Decorations Within A Day Of Being Put Up

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The Grinch has struck early in Sacramento this year.

A Sacramento family discovered that someone stole their big Christmas decorations from their front lawn Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after putting them up the day after Thanksgiving.

The Maher family hoped to get an early jump on Christmas cheer Friday, but all that's left of the Maher family's 9-foot-tall snowman and 4-foot-tall bear are damaged electrical cords and the boxes they came in. The family believes they were stolen early Saturday morning as they took a family member to the airport.

"They cut them out of the yard and cut the cord, so they can't even be plugged in and used again," Tracy Maher said.

Neighbors said incidents like this are hurting the Christmas spirit in the neighborhood.

"The number of people that decorate for Christmas is getting less and less. I don't know if it's because of the crime, and it's really sad," said one neighbor. "I just don't understand the motive for taking things that don't belong to you."

Two years ago, thieves stole an inflatable Mickey Mouse character and a snowman from the family's yard, but this year, they have to explain to their 4-year-old son why the decorations are gone.

"He said, 'Aww, they're gone.' And he said, 'Daddy, did you put them away?' And I said, 'No, somebody took them,'" said Riley's father.

"It's just out of the ordinary that they'd be gone, twice," added Tracy.

Authorities are investigating the theft but have not released any information on potential suspects.