After 17 years of Christmas cheer, vandals behead lawn Santa

LEWISVILLE, Texas (AP) – The 7-foot-tall mechanical Santa on the front lawn of Ed and Marcela Lujan’s elaborately decorated suburban Dallas home has had a rough life but survived 17 Christmases of slime, eggs, thieves and someone who ripped off his pants.

This year – year 18 – he’s been beheaded.

The couple noticed it last week and reported it to police in Lewisville, about 20 miles northwest of Dallas.

Santa’s head was found in a neighbor’s yard but Marcela Lujan says Santa can’t be repaired.

Her husband responded by posting a sign that read: “Whoever did this, we still believe in Christmas.”

Someone didn’t take his message kindly. The couple’s home last week then got hit by BB gunfire, causing $8,000 in window damage.

Police are investigating and have beefed up patrols.

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Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com

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