A daring thief was captured fleeing with a grim reaper under one arm and a clown under the other following an attack on a mother’s Halloween exhibit in the dead of night.
Hannah Hewitt, a resident of Hattersley in Greater Manchester, impresses her neighbors each October with elaborate Halloween decorations. However, just over a week before Halloween, she was shocked to find her front display ruined by the thief. Hewitt, who has been showcasing her Halloween creativity for over a decade, aims to outdo herself each year to delight families from Tameside and beyond.
The thief was caught on CCTV approaching Hewitt’s property on a Thursday. The footage shows him pausing outside her house before entering the front garden and making off with a 7ft clown and a grim reaper. Hewitt estimated the stolen items to be worth £150.
Expressing disappointment, Hewitt emphasized that she decorates for the joy of visiting children and families, not for herself. She noted the increasing costs each year due to competition from other displays. Hewitt shared the CCTV footage on social media, receiving support from other Tameside residents who had also fallen victim to Halloween decoration thefts.
Reported to Greater Manchester Police, Hewitt expressed frustration over the incident and the need to constantly safeguard her display. Meanwhile, a GP has cautioned that Halloween-themed decorations might be mistaken for cold or COVID symptoms, urging caution during the festive season.
As Halloween approaches, Dr. Neel Patel from LloydsPharmacy Online has offered advice on avoiding misconceptions about decoration-related symptoms. Some individuals have reported feeling frightened to walk by a particularly eerie Halloween display, causing distress among adults in the neighborhood.