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Santa's reindeer, Christmas decorations stolen
By Mashaun D. Simon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Where’s Comet? Where's Cupid? Where's Donner and Blitzen ... ?
Somebody swiped Santa's eight tiny reindeer along with a majority of other Christmas decorations at the East Point Chick-fil-A at 1065 Cleveland Ave.
Sometime around midnight on Friday, two individuals took the decorations, which include the eight illuminating reindeer grazing on the back hill, six nets of Christmas lights, icicles and signs all used to bring some Christmas cheer to the neighborhood.
“Naysayers warned me ahead of time,” said Cynthia Inman, owner/operator of the store since 2000. “But I did not let that stop me. Our children deserve something different.”
Inman said she paid $4,000 of her own money for the decorations which were a part of the store’s 12 days of Christmas theme. On Friday and Saturdays kids have come to the store to sing carols while others have taken free photos with Santa Claus.
“They do not have to buy a thing while here,” said Inman. “Any kid that comes can also eat for free. We wanted to spread a little holiday spirit this year.”
Surveillance video shows one of the individuals taking down Christmas lights from the back of the store near the drive-thru box. Less than a minute later, another individual walks over to help the other carry the lights and icicles out of the camera's view.
Later the video shows them collecting the reindeer and carrying them away.
Police spokesman Cliff Chandler, reached late Saturday by cell phone, could not comment on the theft because he had not seen the incident report at the time.
Juanea Marrow, a member of the store's marketing team, said it took them about a month to put up the decorations. With tears in her eyes, Marrow described the emotions and disappointment she feels from the theft.
"I am upset. We put a lot of heart into those decorations," she said. "In one night it was all gone. But decorations or no decorations, we will still bring the holiday spirit to East Point."
Inman said community has been the focus of the store since she bought it nine years ago.
So far this year they have held a community-wide Easter Egg Hunt, a pumpkin decorating contest and an annual Labor Day "[John] Madden" football video game tournament.
As long as the store has decorations, Inman said her employees are going to continue “lighting up what we have.”
“We still have the spirit here on Cleveland Avenue. This has not dampened our spirit,” she said. “You can’t let two people steal your joy or steal your spirit.”
By Mashaun D. Simon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Where’s Comet? Where's Cupid? Where's Donner and Blitzen ... ?
Somebody swiped Santa's eight tiny reindeer along with a majority of other Christmas decorations at the East Point Chick-fil-A at 1065 Cleveland Ave.
Sometime around midnight on Friday, two individuals took the decorations, which include the eight illuminating reindeer grazing on the back hill, six nets of Christmas lights, icicles and signs all used to bring some Christmas cheer to the neighborhood.
“Naysayers warned me ahead of time,” said Cynthia Inman, owner/operator of the store since 2000. “But I did not let that stop me. Our children deserve something different.”
Inman said she paid $4,000 of her own money for the decorations which were a part of the store’s 12 days of Christmas theme. On Friday and Saturdays kids have come to the store to sing carols while others have taken free photos with Santa Claus.
“They do not have to buy a thing while here,” said Inman. “Any kid that comes can also eat for free. We wanted to spread a little holiday spirit this year.”
Surveillance video shows one of the individuals taking down Christmas lights from the back of the store near the drive-thru box. Less than a minute later, another individual walks over to help the other carry the lights and icicles out of the camera's view.
Later the video shows them collecting the reindeer and carrying them away.
Police spokesman Cliff Chandler, reached late Saturday by cell phone, could not comment on the theft because he had not seen the incident report at the time.
Juanea Marrow, a member of the store's marketing team, said it took them about a month to put up the decorations. With tears in her eyes, Marrow described the emotions and disappointment she feels from the theft.
"I am upset. We put a lot of heart into those decorations," she said. "In one night it was all gone. But decorations or no decorations, we will still bring the holiday spirit to East Point."
Inman said community has been the focus of the store since she bought it nine years ago.
So far this year they have held a community-wide Easter Egg Hunt, a pumpkin decorating contest and an annual Labor Day "[John] Madden" football video game tournament.
As long as the store has decorations, Inman said her employees are going to continue “lighting up what we have.”
“We still have the spirit here on Cleveland Avenue. This has not dampened our spirit,” she said. “You can’t let two people steal your joy or steal your spirit.”
