By Kelly Youngblood
It’s an issue that seems to pop up across cities and towns everywhere during the Halloween season and the Champaign-Urbana area is no exception.
Pumpkins and other Halloween decorations tend to disappear from yards this time of year, much to the dismay of homeowners and renters alike.
While it’s a fairly common occurrence, it’s definitely not fun for the people who fall victims to these pumpkin snatchers.
At least four local residents have shared photos and information with their neighborhood groups about thefts they’ve recently encountered, but none of them wanted to talk publicly about the incidents.
One woman who lives in Cherry Hills says five pumpkins sitting on her doorstep “mysteriously disappeared.”
Another woman in south Champaign says a thief stole a giant pumpkin from her yard.
A resident of the Mayfair subdivision in Champaign used security cameras to catch her thief in the act of stealing pumpkins from her yard.
In a neighborhood in southwest Champaign, another resident also has camera footage of two people walking into her screened porch.
Champaign police say as of Oct. 19, they haven’t received any calls about “stolen yard ornaments.”
LaEisha Meaderds of the Champaign Police Department said any stolen property, no matter the considered worth, should be reported to police.
“We recognize that sometimes people may not want to bother with filing a report because they may see it as frivolous in comparison to other acts of crime, however, it helps to track the issues that are occurring in our neighborhoods and what we can do to help address; as well as identifies the rightful owner(s) should the items be located,” Meaderds said.
So what can you do to protect your Halloween decorations from disappearing? Here are a few tips we’ve rounded up that could help.
- Buy metal stakes that keep decorations grounded, making them harder to steal.
- Buy motion-detector lights to deter would-be thieves.
- Keep the exterior of your house well lit, even when you are sleeping.
- Use security cameras. While it won’t prevent a theft it could help identify a thief.
- Bring decorations into the house or garage at night.
- Talk to your neighbors. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious in the neighborhood.
Have you had Halloween decorations stolen? Do you have tips to help prevent it? Let us know in the comments!