BALTIMORE — Putting up lights and garland outside his home in Patterson Park isn't an easy task for Larry Hountz. He suffered two strokes in the last three years and has trouble moving around. But he wants the neighborhood to look festive, and he knows the kids who live nearby enjoy it, so he decorates for Christmas every year.
On Saturday morning, he woke up to a disappointing sight.
His doorbell camera caught the thief in the act, a man who appeared to be wearing a security guard uniform, slowly and carefully removing the decorations and placing them in a cart.
It happened around 5 a.m.
"I mean he's there for like 10-15 minutes," Hountz said as he watched the footage back. "Like he's in no hurry, and he really doesn't care if anyone sees him because he's in a security guard outfit I guess."
Video of Christmas decorations being stolen
Hountz filed a police report, but he's not optimistic about anything coming of it.
"So they [the police] had me email them the 12 videos of him, roughly, - they got his face, they got everything. But the chances of catching him? Eh, they don't care," Hountz said. "They're like OK, we get a dozen of those videos a day."
Hountz has lived in his home for 25 years.
Although this "Grinch" stole his decorations, he won't let him steal his Christmas spirit.
"I'm gonna put up the decorations again, and maybe put up a note: if you want to steal my decorations, knock first. I'll be more than happy to give them to you. If you need decorations that bad, just ask. You can have them."
A neighbor told Hountz her Christmas wreath was also stolen from her home by what appears to be the same man.
She also caught the theft on camera.
