A Halloween thief was captured on camera stealing several spooky decorations from a family’s front yard in Arizona, including a plastic skeleton dog cherished by the children.
Two tombstones, a fake skull and the skeleton dog—known as “Ellie”—disappeared from the Ostrander family’s lawn in Surprise at about 4 a.m. on Oct. 21, FOX 10 reported.
“It’s disappointing that we can’t even decorate our homes for Halloween without worrying about someone stealing from us,” Sydney Ostrander told the station.
The family did not immediately realize the decorations had been stolen. Ostrander said her mother had contacted emergency services that night after a storm sent a tree crashing onto her van.
At first, the family assumed strong winds had blown the decorations across the yard. A review of their home security footage, however, appeared to show someone deliberately taking them.
The video shows a woman stepping out of her car and taking a skeleton decoration from a neighboring property before turning her attention to the Ostranders’ Halloween display.
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The alleged Halloween thief is then seen removing decorations from the Ostrander family’s lawn and driving away in a Jeep, according to the footage.
Ostrander said her children have been especially upset about losing “Ellie,” the skeleton dog that had been part of their front-yard display.
“Although it may seem like just a Halloween decoration, Ellie was part of a family display that our children loved,” Ostrander told the TV station.
A police report estimated the stolen decorations were worth about $100. Ostrander told investigators she was “willing to prosecute” if the person responsible is identified, according to FOX 10.
After the family posted the surveillance video, other Surprise residents reportedly came forward with footage that appeared to show the same vehicle taking Halloween decorations from their properties.
Surprise police are investigating the suspected series of decoration thefts. Authorities have not announced any arrests or released a description of the suspect.
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