Thieves stealing Halloween from families all across county

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Halloween decoration thieves are leaving families frustrated and furious. Surveillance videos from homes in multiple San Diego County communities show a group of thieves in a dark gray truck, taking decorations from front yards and driving off into the night.

One of the victims, Renato, a Navy veteran who served on the USS Midway and has lived in Carmel Mountain Ranch for 31 years, discovered his home’s decorations were stolen early Tuesday morning. Security footage shows the thieves grabbing his decorations and tossing them into their truck before leaving.

“I feel bad because it’s like invading my privacy,” said Renato, who chose not to reveal his last name or show his face due to safety concerns.

After the theft, Renato checked social media and realized he wasn’t alone. Other residents across the county, including La Mesa and San Marcos, have reported similar incidents and shared their own footage of the suspected thieves in the same truck.

Mandy Caparso of Poway was another victim. She had decorated her front yard with nearly $1,000 worth of Halloween items, including skeletons and animated pumpkins. By Wednesday morning, most of her decorations were gone, leaving only scattered electrical cords and LED lights on her lawn.

“I could tell they left in a hurry,” said Caparso, noting the smashed pieces of a pumpkin her son had carved. “I reached out to a couple of neighbors, and the same thing had happened to them.”

A neighbor’s surveillance video captured what appears to be the same gray truck leaving Mandy’s neighborhood around 2 a.m. She believes it’s the same vehicle seen in other recordings.

Caparso’s six-year-old son was heartbroken.

“He was bawling for two hours,” she said. “It’s hard to explain to a six-year-old why people steal things that are meant to bring joy to others.”

Local residents like Caparso and Renato are calling for action, hoping authorities catch the thieves soon.

“I think they’re doing this to see how much they can get away with, or maybe they’re reselling the decorations,” said Caparso, adding that holiday decorations grow more costly every year.

“I feel bad for the kids,” Renato added. “This is Halloween, and it’s supposed to be happy, enjoying the season.”

Anyone with information on the thefts is urged to contact the La Mesa Police Department or Crime Stoppers.