Handcrafted characters stolen from Christmas display at home

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    ABINGTON, Mass. (WCVB) — Thieves have been caught on video stealing decorations from a treasured Christmas display at a Massachusetts home.

Abington resident Scott Leines says multiple carefully handcrafted characters were stolen from his front yard over the past two weekends.

There are more than 150 characters in the display, from Santa Claus to current childhood favorites that are featured on television. A number were made by Leines’ father and handed down to him.

“When I was growing up as a kid, when I was young, my dad made Winnie the Pooh and Piglet and Tigger and all that,” Leines said. “Then I might have gone to Sesame Street, so whatever we were watching. My sisters were watching the Care Bears, they were out here. Then when my kids were young, I was making the stuff they were watching.”

People from all over drive to Leines’ home on Lake Steet to check out the collection of characters and his Christmas lights.

But five of the characters were stolen by three people, with each of the incidents caught on surveillance video.

“This year, where everybody is looking for something to do and this is what it is because there isn’t much to do anymore,” Leines said. “You take that away from people, that just isn’t fair.”

Leines says one of the stolen characters, Woody from “Toy Story,” was found on Route 18 Tuesday night. Then late Wednesday night, two more characters were returned to his home with help from the police.

The Abington Police Department has been investigating the thefts.

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