Stolen decorations not uncommon

It’s only December second, but one local grandmother’s Christmas spirit has already been tested.

An ornament with priceless sentimental value has been stolen from her front yard. Unfortunately, holiday vandalism isn’t all that uncommon.

There’s an incomplete nativity scene at Edinburgh Square in Caledonia.

Rick Roberts is with the Caledonia Special Projects Committee: “One wise man is missing. One we found beheaded. The cow, the sheep and the donkey are missing.”

After three acts of vandalism last year, Rick Roberts of the community’s special projects committee says the decision was made to put the aging and fragile figures under surveillance.

Roberts: “We decided to put up what we had left just as a symbol. I mean it’s the symbol of Christmas and I think it’s important.”

There was no video to capture whoever stole 71-year old Kathleen Hayes decorative dog and deer. She came home Monday to find they had been taken from the front lawn of her Hamilton mountain house in broad daylight: “I was just, I’m just sick. I just cannot believe somebody would do that. I can’t.”

The three-foot dog was last year’s Christmas present from Hayes’ daughter Becky MacDonald who has one just like it on her front porch: “It’s not the point of the fact that the dog is gone. All her hard work that she put in to setting it up and making it look beautiful and it’s gone.”

Like this snowman, Hayes dog and deer were both spiked into the ground and secured so well with pull ties that they even survived the most recent wind storm.

Much to the disappointment of their three-year old, Hayes next door neighbours also had a deer stolen Monday.

Sean Plume: “He just knows it was the bad guy. That’s all we’ve told him so far.”

Hoping they’ll have a change of heart and bring their decorations back.