New Kensington couple posts humorous sign for thieves who stole Christmas decorations

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — New Kensington residents Jeremy and Amy-Beth Shurina refuse to let a couple of Grinches put a damper on their holiday.

After the Shurinas had two of their Christmas decorations stolen from their Campbell Avenue front yard early Monday morning, Jeremy Shurina decided to chide the thieves.

(This article was written by R.A. Monti, a freelance writer for Channel 11’s news exchange partners at TribLIVE.)

Shurina put an illuminated sign in his yard that reads “Attn Thieves! You forgot to steal this one!” with an arrow pointing to the lone standing Garfield figurine that was left behind.

“I just wanted to add a little humor to the situation,” Shurina said. “I didn't think it would get this kind of publicity. Thieves are idiots.”

Shurina said the culprits made off with a 2-foot Snoopy dressed as Santa and a 2-foot Christmas Elmo.

“I just put them up here for the kids in the neighborhood,” he said. “Someone had to come and try to ruin it. It's not ruining our Christmas at all.

“To steal Christmas decorations is really low, though,” he said. “There are probably 30 kids in the neighborhood who love all the decorations around here.”

Shurina said he thinks the heist was pulled off by more than one person because of the footprints left in the snow on his hillside where the decorations were displayed.

Amy-Beth Shurina said she reported the thefts to police.

“I just wanted to let them know it happened in case more people start to miss decorations,” she said. “I didn't think they'd find our stuff.”

As for the thieves, Amy-Beth Shurina said she hopes the sign sends them a message.

“Maybe they'll see, and show that it didn't bother us,” she said.

A representative from New Kensington police couldn't be reached for comment.

Don Elter, who lives across the street from the Shurinas, said he loves the sign.

“Last year, someone came and kicked all my decorations down,” he said pointing to his front yard across Campbell Avenue that's filled with Christmas decorations. “It happens all the time around here. You can't even put anything up in the summer because it will get stolen.”

For the Shurinas, local Grinches can't ruin their holiday.

“You can steal Christmas decorations, but you can't steal Christmas spirit,” Jeremy Shurina said with a smile.

WPXI