By Chris Oberholtz
Kansas City, MO (KCTV) — A real-life Grinch stealing Christmas lights around the metro ripped decorations right off the front porch of a 92-year-old woman.
The thief or thieves swiped the lights from homes near East 12th Street and Woodland Avenue.
Neighbors say the woman known as Miss Jackson has her porch decorated every Christmas by her daughter.
“The reason I was so upset is because when I walked out I saw Miss Jackson’s porch destroyed,” neighbor Willie Shelby said. “Who would do this to an old woman? She is 92 years old.”
Shelby realized at least three women in her neighborhood had their homes targeted.
“I hope they feel a little guilty,” Shelby said. “If they have any conscience, they’ll come and tell Miss Jackson, ‘I’m sorry for taking your decorations.'”
New replacement decorations are already up at the women’s homes that were targeted.
“It’s not going to kill our Christmas spirit,” Shelby said.
As she points to the spot where she had decorated her front porch with garland and Christmas lights, only tiny pieces of shredded tinsel and tape remain.
“I was just really depressed because my grandson worked so hard to put that up,” Shelby said about her 13-year-old grandson. “When he left for school he was very upset. He said, ‘grandma all that hard work (gone).'”
Many of the victims get help from their children or grandchildren to decorate each and every year.
“If they needed it that bad, we would have probably helped them out,” neighbor Corrie Betts said. “They didn’t need to take all this stuff.”
Betts also had her decorations stolen.
The women hope next time thieves will think twice before taking something that doesn’t cost much but means a lot to them.
“It doesn’t make sense because we are all just poor people trying to have a good holiday and now we got to start over,” Shelby said.
Many of the women filed a police report but don’t expect anything to come of it.
As they redecorate, they say they hope this time the thieves will leave it alone.