By Brendan Rees
A heartless thief has been labelled the Christmas Grinch after allegedly pinching a life-size reindeer decoration from a family business in Clyde.
The man was captured by security cameras on Monday 11 December at about 6pm at the front of Shopping at Clyde, in broad daylight.
The footage shows the man bundling the 1.5 metre tall fibreglass reindeer into the backseat of a dark Holden hatchback, which was parked at the front of the shopping centre.
The reindeer was part of a Christmas showpiece in the middle of the shopping centre for families to have a photo taken with Santa.
Centre manager Ian Mitchell said he was disappointed, especially after his family had spent between $60,000 and $70,000 on decorations as part of centre’s Christmas theme.
“It certainly does dampen it a little bit on that display,“ he said.
“It seems strange that someone would take it obviously for personal use when you quite clearly see that it’s serving the community,” he said.
“People are coming in there or particularly their young kids enjoying the scene.”
Mr Mitchell said the registration of the hatchback was passed on to Cranbourne police.
“We don’t know how likely it is of getting it back. The Christmas display is going to be missing the reindeer, it certainly doesn’t help.”
He said he believed shoppers may have seen the thief, who was described as of olive complexion with short dark hair, lumping the reindeer out to his car but he “wasn’t picked by anyone who would question him.”
“I’m sure people had seen him but wouldn’t have thought anything of it,” he said, adding the trading hours of the shopping centre had been extended to midnight.
“We’ve got quite good footage of him trying to get this thing in a small hatchback and a female partner helping him. He didn’t seem to be in any rush.”
“We’ve only been open for two years now; it’s coming up to our third Christmas and never had any trouble before.”
Neighbouring shop workers were disgusted by the act.
Colourful Creations florist Ahmad Khan said children were heartbroken.
“It’s very disappointing and distressful, especially during this time of the year.”
“It became a part of the daily routine to see the reindeer around,” he said.
“It’s such a bright and colourful shopping centre; a humble place. This has never happened before. It was such a nice display.”
Terry White Chemmart pharmacy assistant Audrey Oudeman said the missing reindeer had dampened the Christmas spirit for families.
“It’s disappointing not just for the centre, but it’s disappointing for the families that are coming especially.”
“They actually had a face painting; lots of children were coming, families were coming to have their beautiful portraits for Christmas.”
“Those things are the highlights that make it Christmas for the small ones,” she said.
Mel Bull of Beans and Bites also said it was terrible.
“Kids like seeing the reindeer and all the decorations and of course without those it’s sad.”
