This is a true story. Two gnomes from Skyecrafts were the victim of gnome-napping by the New Jersey Grinch. After his arrest the owner, with a little help from us, was able to free her gnomes and bring them back to her loving home.
These are the two gnomes, named Eddie and Freddie by their owner, who after six months made it back home again!
Grinch decorated his front yard with stolen goods, police say
Thursday, December 27, 2007 BY TOM HAYDON Star-Ledger Staff
An Edison man was arrested yesterday on charges of stealing Christmas decorations from more than a dozen homes in the township and nearby Metuchen for use, police say, in front of his own home.
Alfred Morta, 49, is accused of stealing a box truck load of decorations, as well as patio furniture and lawn decorations taken from area homes over the last six months.
"There's 90 to 100 items," Metu chen police officer David Liantonio said. Investigators are not yet sure how many homes were hit in the spree.
"They can't get a number on it," Liantonio said. "In one weekend two weeks ago, a dozen homes were hit in a three-block area," he said.
One resident, after reading a local newspaper story about the thefts and a witness's description of a thief and a truck that was used, called police and reported seeing the decorations on Morta's lawn, Liantonio said.
Metuchen and Edison officers went to Morta's house yesterday, found the decorations, then waited until he came home and arrested him.
Police also found lawn furniture that had been stolen from homes last summer, Liantonio said.
Morta was charged with theft and released on $10,000 bail, but detectives are still sifting through the stolen property and more charges may be filed, Liantonio said.
Police loaded the stolen items onto a truck and hauled it to a storage area at the fire department headquarters.