Local

Marysville family catches decoration thieves on camera

MARYSVILLE, Wash. — Take a walk down dead-end 81st Drive Northeast in Marysville and it’s obvious -- the Reids are the only ones who decorate.

So despite repeated thefts and vandalism, they say they feel an obligation, not only to their neighborhood but especially their kids to find a way to keep things festive.

Two weekends ago, Cathe and Mark Reid’s blow-up cat was beheaded during a theft gone wrong.

“They tried to get the cat, ripped the head off -- obviously couldn’t manage to get it out of the ground,” Cathe told us, while standing in her front yard where the cat used to be.

Thieves did, however, manage to get the Reids' 12-foot ghost.

The cat’s demise and the ghost’s disappearance is what led to the installation of security cameras, and overnight Monday they did their job. In the footage, a vehicle drives up to the Reids' house, and a woman jumps out and rips a giant inflatable pumpkin out of the front yard before rushing back to the getaway car.

“I’m like, 'They’re right by the sign that says cameras are here,’” Cathe said, pointing to the sign in her front yard.

The Reids are bewildered, but they refuse to let a couple of thieves scare them out of decorating.

“It’s just stuff. It can be replaced. It’s more frustrating than a deterrent from me doing what I love,” Mark explained.

Mark has already replaced the big pumpkin and he’s using cables to lock down everything else.  He’s also installing additional cameras and going public.

“I reported it to the police, downloaded a copy of the video and put it out there on social media so that other people could be aware,” Mark said.

If thieves still manage to evade the cameras and cut the cables the Reids have one more deterrent -- they’ve written their name all over the yard decor, which makes it hard to display anywhere but there.

The Reids are determined the rest of their inflatable family will survive Halloween—then it’s on to the next holiday.

“We have something blown up for Thanksgiving -- it might be a turkey,” Cathe told us, laughing.  “We do it for our kids. We have five kids.”

Do you recognize these thieves or the vehicle they pull up in? After numerous thefts and vandalism a Marysville family installed surveillance cameras-- and caught a pair of thieves once again going after their yard decorations. On KIRO 7 News at 5:15-- find out what else the family is doing to save their Halloween!

Posted by Joanna Small on Tuesday, October 25, 2016