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40-Foot Inflatable Santa Stolen From Phoenix Tree Lot as Police Investigate

Detectives are reviewing security video after thieves cut a fence to drag away the decades-old landmark.

Overview

  • The 40-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide decoration vanished from Kraemer’s Tree Lots overnight between Saturday and early Sunday in Phoenix.
  • A neighbor’s cameras showed Santa present around 7 p.m. Saturday and gone by 6:45 a.m. Sunday, though the theft itself was not captured.
  • The owner reported a cut perimeter fence and gravel marks indicating the inflatable was deflated and dragged off the lot.
  • The giant Santa has been a fixture for roughly 35 years and a popular photo spot at the family business, which has operated seasonally at the site for about 25 years.
  • Phoenix police opened an investigation as neighbors comb footage and the owners ask the public for tips to help recover the distinctive display.