Jennifer Jenkins set up inflatable Halloween decorations outside her Vancouver home for the neighborhood kids and her own grandchildren to enjoy. Instead, she caught seven children on camera tearing them apart, and she estimates the damage at nearly $1,000.
Jenkins shared video of the vandalism, which happened at her home in the Orchards area, according to KPTV. She said the decorations were meant to bring joy to the neighborhood, and watching them get destroyed left her frustrated. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to the station that Jenkins reported the incident, though she said she has not heard back from the agency since filing the report.
Neighbors Say They Were Targeted Too
Jenkins isn’t the only one dealing with wrecked decorations this season. Susan and Brad Shaw, who have lived in the area for more than 20 years, said their own display has been vandalized in the past as well, the station’s report notes. Since a Sunday-night slashing, the couple said they’ve been actively monitoring their decorations.
Susan Shaw said she’s troubled by kids running around with knives late at night, and Jenkins echoed that concern, questioning why children were out almost until midnight on a school night carrying sharp objects. Brad Shaw offered his own theory, suggesting the vandalism could be some kind of misdirected anger at parents or other adults, but said ultimately it just doesn’t make sense to him.
A Pattern Stretching Back to 2024
This isn’t the first time Halloween decorations in the Orchards community have been targeted. A 2024 KPTV report described several neighbors saying a group of young men destroyed their Halloween displays, with security footage showing two young men running by, knocking over items and slashing decorations. Four other neighbors told Sophie Dudash at the time that their decorations had also been hit, and the Vancouver Police Department said it was still investigating that earlier case, asking anyone with information to come forward. It’s not established whether this year’s incident is connected to that earlier round of vandalism.
Under Washington law, damaging someone else’s property can carry real legal weight. RCW 9A.48.080 defines malicious mischief in the second degree as knowingly and maliciously causing physical damage to another person’s property exceeding $750. Separately, RCW 9A.84.010 addresses criminal mischief committed by groups of three or more people who knowingly and unlawfully use or threaten force against a person or property, an offense that is generally a gross misdemeanor but can rise to a Class C felony if the person is armed with a deadly weapon.
Jenkins Says She Won’t Stop Decorating
Despite the damage and the lack of follow-up from investigators, Jenkins said the incident won’t stop her from decorating her home during the holidays. Both she and the Shaws said they hope whoever is responsible simply stops targeting the neighborhood’s decorations.
