'Grinches' steal $2,000 worth of Christmas decorations from Calgary family's home

Did you hear that a real-life Grinch actually stole Christmas on Monday in Calgary? Consider it a fact. Cara Sutherland went to bed at 11 p.m. with approximately $2,000 worth of Christmas decorations wrapped around her home and front yard. The next day, the first person to leave her house in the morning just six hours later opened the front door to find out that every last decoration was gone. So too were the culprits.

Given that the decorations were worth that much money, it’s obvious this was no small operation. Nearly everything was stolen, right on down to the extension cords and timers that controlled an undoubtedly fantastic display of lighting. Decorations taken included: 13 sets of blue and white lights, 12 LED candy canes, four green trees measuring 7 feet high, and two red and silver trees measuring 9 feet high.

It took Sutherland and her family five years to collect all of the decorations, yet it took the greedy thieves less than six hours to take everything. What a sad way to try and ruin the holidays for a family just looking to spread the joy of the season. And let’s face it, even though this story draws parallels to a rather enjoyable holiday tale, stealing $2,000 worth of goods is a serious. Watching Jim Carrey steal presents from children in a Hollywood movie is a very different thing.

Although stories of Christmas decorations being stolen on this big of a scale are certainly rare, it’s definitely happened before. In December of last year, an 18-year-old Colorado Springs man and his 42-year-old wife stole $2,000 worth of decorations from their neighbours, only to put the decorations in their own front yard and get caught red handed.

Unfortunately, these grinches in Calgary appear to be much sneakier. Hopefully the spirit of the season warms their hearts enough that the present-day grinches turn themselves in. Although they won’t be feeling all warm and fuzzy inside when they’re behind bars that’s for sure. Good thing said bars will be made of steel and not candy canes, otherwise they’d probably take those too!