MEDINA, Ohio — The Medina Police Department is looking for suspects after Christmas decorations were taken outside of multiple houses in Medina on Thanksgiving.
The incidents took place on Nov. 24, between 12:15-1:30 a.m. on Oak Street, 100 West Liberty Street and 300 Lafayette Street.
A video of the incident was caught on camera and can be viewed below.
The video shows a male individual walking up to a residence and taking a light-up snowman decoration. After leaving, it appears the suspect meets up with a group of individuals on the other side of the road.
"It looks like possibly four to five individuals. The individual you see on that Ring doorbell is the individual we're specifically looking for," said Lt. Bryan Wagner with the City of Medina police department. "We're looking for more Ring doorbell videos or any videos that people might have from that night."
Multiple lawn ornaments were also stolen during the robbery, according to Medina Police.
"Thanksgiving morning, one of our road supervisors noticed damage down on North Court Street, and noticed some damage to some of the lawn ornaments in people's neighborhoods," said Lt. Wagner.
Lt. Wagner said the supervisor followed the trail of damage, and took several reports. The impacted streets are close to the downtown square in Medina.
"Cones were put on cars, pumpkins were smashed in the road, and we had several lawn ornaments stolen and broken," he said.
"It’s very disheartening," said Lt. Wagner. "We take pride in our square, it’s beautiful. We take pride in the Christmas tree that we put up every year and the parades that we have, and to see somebody do this is very disheartening."
One of the people impacted was Kelly Parks, who is the owner and director of Medina Centre for Dance Art, just off the main square. This year, she placed standing nutcrackers outside of the entrance to her business.
"This is the first year that the nutcrackers have made an appearance outside the studio, they've always been inside the studio," she said. "They just were really framing off the business nicely this year, the kids love them, they're a lot of fun."
Parks said she and her husband had been hesitant about putting the nutcrackers outside for the first time in case something were to happen to them. On Thanksgiving day, she received a call from the police department, letting her know that there had been vandalism around town, and that a nutcracker had been broken.
"My husband and I got in the car and came up and found him in shatters, on the sidewalk, cleaned him up," she said, taking to Facebook to share her frustration and disappointment with the community and friends.
She filed a police report, then went home to prepare for Thanksgiving. Later that day, with family already coming over to celebrate, her doorbell rang.
"At my front porch were five gentlemen who were incredibly remorseful," she said. The men explained to her that they were friends from college, reuniting the night before. "They knew that they had acted a fool and were really sorry they had damaged my nutcracker, and offered to make restitution for it."
The men gave Parks money to buy a replacement nutcracker, which she was able to do the next day. While she said she is "sad" and "frustrated" this happened, Parks said she is grateful the men owned up to their actions.
"It's frustrating when people go out and do silly things and act a fool, but the fact that they owned it and they knocked on my door and they made it right - accidents happen and you have to move forward," she said.
Parks said she hopes the other instances of vandalism and theft are resolved. Parks said after the men visited her, she spoke with police, and chose not to press charges.
Caught off guard by their visit, she Parks did not catch their names. Police are asking the community for any doorbell video that could help identify those involved. Parks said police did not indicate whether or not the men at her door are the same ones involved in the other vandalisms.
Especially this time of year, Lt. Wagner encouraged the community to look out for their neighbors, as decorations go up and holiday packages arrive on doorsteps.
"Talking to your neighbors, making sure that they're looking out for each other’s houses is a main step, and encouraging each other to make sure that your packages stay on your door and your ornaments stay in your yard," he said.
Anyone with information pertaining to the vandalisms and thefts is asked to contact the City of Medina Police Department.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on Nov. 20, 2022.
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