The spirit of Halloween in Kailua has been dimmed following a theft that left one local family stripped of their beloved decorations. Less than a month before the holiday, the Loveland family, recognized for their impressively adorned home during the festive season, became the latest victims of decoration larceny, as multiple inflatables and other cherished items were snatched from their lawn. According to KHON2, the incident was recorded on camera in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
"It was a matter of seconds, there was a whole bunch of them. Pretty much what they took, they probably ruined and they didn’t just steal it to steal it. They stole to have fun. That’s what makes it worse. Just no class," Momi Loveland told KHON2. For years, the Lovelands have invested time and effort to curate a collection of decorations that not only delighted their family, but also became a cornerstone of local Halloween festivities – a tradition that neighbors have come to eagerly anticipate.
The motivation behind the decoration theft remains as ghostly as a specter in the night, with the perpetrators apparently choosing to destroy rather than simply to take. The vandalism was a blow to a community already eager to partake in the seasonal joys. In the wake of the theft, the Lovelands expressed their lament on KHON2, with Momi Loveland deeply affected, "No amount of money can replace my spirit and it’s broken." The theft not only bereft the Loveland family of their decorations, but also served to extinguish a beacon of cheer in the neighborhood.
A neighbor, Brok Kellogg, found the act reprehensible and unsettling, remarking in a statement obtained by KHON2, "When it happens literally across the street, it gives me a little pause." The Lovelands resolved to forgo their traditional Christmas decorations after this incident, a quiet surrender to the repeated acts of theft that they have endured. The community's reaction to the vandalism was palpable, and Momi Loveland had a poignant message for those responsible, "Think long and hard about your actions because it may be fun for you. You really devastated our entire community."
These sentiments were echoed in a report by KITV where the couple placed a sign in their yard that read, "The community has gotten used to our decorations and they expect it. This has not only been a let down for us as homeowners and the people that do this, this has been a let down for the community."
