Like a scene from a well-known holiday movie, an apparent Grinch has tried to cut into an Ajax family’s Christmas.
The tree is up and the stockings are hung inside the home of Danica Furtado-Fernandes. Decorations are merry and bright.
“It’s a great season of giving, it’s a great season of explaining a lot of meaning to the kids and it’s a tradition based on our faith and just the way that we were brought up,” said Furtado-Fernandes.
But outside, it’s a different story.
A number of inflatable decorations in front of their home have been vandalized, deflating some of their Christmas spirit.
“We realized on Monday morning one of the inflatables wasn’t coming up, we just thought ‘maybe the wind,'” Furtado-Fernandes said.
“And then on Tuesday we came back and realized the second one wasn’t coming up and that’s when my husband and I said ‘lets have a closer look at the wires’ and realized someone’s really cutting the wires.”
Furtado-Fernandes and her family buy a new inflatable for their lawn every Christmas, it’s a tradition they started when they moved here and expanded their family.
“Every ornament was bought from the time they were born to now, my little one is six, so they all have a very significant meaning to each of them,” she said.
They’ve installed security cameras and filed a police report.
“We really don’t know who it is. We don’t know if it’s targeted or if it’s just some pranksters,” said Furtado-Fernandes.
“Last year we had incidents where people were actually stealing the ornaments and taking the decorations,” said Cst. George Tudos, Durham Regional Police Service.
“This is the first time I’ve heard of them actually being vandalized.”
“We will investigate this and if we do find the people responsible they will be charged with mischief,” Tudos said.
Joanne Cross has lived in the neighborhood for the past 26 years, she says having this incident happen right next door is infuriating.
“When it happens to good people for no reason and your not just upsetting the parents … but the children, it’s really sad,” said Cross.
The response from the community has been overwhelming for the Furtado-Fernandes family.
People have dropped by with gifts for the kids and even left decorations on the door step.
“We’re not angry with these people, we’re really forgiving because that’s what the spirits all about.”