Heartless thieves steal 8ft Santa and hang it off bridge
David Rainey pictured holding the electric cables which had been attached to his 8ft inflatable Santa. Last week thieves took the Christmas decoration and later hanged it over a local bridge.
A PORTADOWN father has spoken of his family’s upset after thieves stole an 8ft inflatable light-up Santa Claus which was later spotted hanging off a motorway bridge.
Farlough Road resident David Rainey said that he had been left annoyed by the disappearance of the festive decoration which had been a feature of the family’s Christmases for the past four years years.
He revealed that the inflatable, which was stolen overnight last Tuesday, was later recovered when a relative saw the item hanging off a nearby bridge.
“The bottom of it was ripped so it’s ruined basically. I know that some young lads were thinking that it was a bit of a fun but the plug for the inflatable went through my son’s bedroom window, so it’s difficult knowing that someone was so close to your child,” said David.
David described how had been alerted to the theft as he lay in bed. “My wife heard what sounded like a ‘bang’, I ran down the stairs and at that stage it was gone. And then it sounded like that whoever had taken it had tied it to a car and taken off.
“I wonder how they would feel if someone intruded on their property to ruin their children’s sense of safety and enjoyment of Christmas?
The father-of-four, who has a 15-year-old daughter, Cherith, said his three youngest children - boys Stuart (13), Marc (9) and seven-year-old Craig - had been left particularly upset by the incident.
“It’ll probably affect them more next Christmas when they’ll notice that it won’t be there to be put up,” he continued.
“It had a motor to keep it blown up, a bit like a bouncy castle. Our home can’t be seen from the road so those who were behind it must have known what they were looking for.”
David added that when the Santa inflatable was purchased it cost around £100. “It’s not about the money though. It’s about those who came onto my property to take it. We have quiet neighbours where we are and I’m sure they will be annoyed to know that this has happened in the area.”
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Weather for Portadown
Saturday 25 May 2013
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Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
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