A Texas man made no bones about his desire to steal a Halloween decoration from an Austin residence recently.
The thief was caught on a Ring doorbell camera in broad daylight pulling up to a home in a black truck, walking right up to the front porch and taking a skeleton that was zip-tied to a rocking chair. He then loaded the decoration into his truck and drove off with an accomplice in the passenger’s seat.
The owner of the skeleton told FOX 7 Austin that he had zip-tied the skeleton to deter thieves, but didn’t think anyone would steal the chair as well.
The homeowner said the skeleton and the rocking chair cost about $250. He filed a police report with the Austin Police Department and is asking for the public’s help to identify the suspect or the truck.
The theft of the Halloween skeleton is not the first to take place in the Austin area this season.
Earlier this month, a 14-foot skeleton decoration was also stolen from a front lawn. The act was similarly captured on a Ring camera; footage showed a woman dismantling the skeleton and driving away with it in her white SUV.
The trend is not confined to Texas.
Another case of Halloween décor theft took place in Tucson, Arizona, where it was reported that two men stole a family’s Halloween decorations that were worth $200.
The thieves made off with three inflatable Halloween decorations that were held down with metal ties.
The Tucson Police Department advised putting inflatables on the roof or within a fenced yard to deter burglars. They also suggested placing motion-sensor lights or security cameras to scare thieves away.