Thief Steals Volunteer Firefighters’ Proceeds From Christmas Tree Fundraiser

While a thief with Grinch-like tendencies didn’t sneak into every home in Spring Lake Heights, NJ with a Christmas tree and steal them, what the thief did was still pretty mean-spirited. Someone broke into a garage at the firehouse and stole $1,000 that the local volunteer fire department raised in its annual tree sale.

The thief had to know where the fire department keeps its cash register, then climb over the fence and break into the right garage. The firefighters have the Christmas tree fundraiser annually, using it to raise money for the firehouse and for its programs.

“I hope you really needed the money,” the department’s former chief told CBS New York. “We worked really hard for it, if you needed it this bad to break into volunteer firehouse.”

Community members are stepping up and donating to the department to make up for the lost tree profits, and members of the departments say that they’re willing to forgive the thief or thieves and move on, even planning to have another tree sale next year.

Trees are an important symbol to to holiday season baddies, apparently: in past years, aspiring Grinches have cut $2,000 worth of trees from a cut-your-own farm without paying, and sold trees from a lot when the owner wasn’t around. Thieves have also reached advanced levels of stealing Christmas by stealing from the charity gifts program Operation Santa and Toys for Tots.