Police in a Massachusetts town are investigating a string of incidents in which Christmas tree lights have been vandalized.
Melrose resident Kathy Neville, who had set up her lollipop lights on her front lawn with her granddaughter, found the wire snipped this week in a clean cut, with no bite marks or other signs of animals. She has since set up another string of lights, but other residents have reported similar vandalism.
“It’s just mean-spirited,” Neville said. “This is just a stupid, stupid prank. I mean, it’s Christmas lights. I mean, why do you have to cut them?”
Neville had decorated her house not only to celebrate the holidays with her grandchildren arriving from Florida, but also to overcome her grief.
“My brother passed away two weeks ago,” Neville said, “and I’ve had two siblings die this year alone, and I’ve had four siblings pass away in the past two years.”
Neville feels unsafe knowing that a stranger was on her property without her knowledge, so she plans to install a surveillance camera.
“It’s too bad it’s come to that,” Neville said. “I just want them to stop, that’s all.”
Police said they dealt with the same problem last year. No suspect has been identified.
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