News

Actions

Crime trend: holiday lights stolen from San Diego homes

Posted at 11:36 PM, Dec 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-07 02:36:58-05

Thieves have a new target this month, and some San Diegan’s say it’s the spirit of the holidays.

From Point Loma to Mission Bay to Carlsbad, multiple people have contacted 10News in the past two weeks, saying that thieves have stolen their Christmas lights.

“Lousy. Kind of unbelievable,” said Marilee Mclean, who’s been putting up lights in Mission Bay for 15 years. “It makes you feel a little less secure.”

Another Mission Bay resident named Norman said he’s heard about the crimes, too.

“People are putting up lights and the next night they’re gone,” he said. “I’d have to maybe think that there’s somebody coming through here that doesn’t live here that’s not part of the neighborhood because we’re a pretty close knit community here, everyone knows each other.”

Some people said they are using staple guns and zip ties to try to keep the thieves at bay. Norman said he doesn’t plan to change how he installs his decorations.

“It’s hard enough getting the look you want, then to try to make them theft proof, that’s just not the spirit of Christmas to me,” he said.

Some of the solar light displays can be expensive, tough to find, and even tougher to track - that’s what makes them a target.