In a real-life Christmas caper, a mother-of-ten was left stunned after a brazen thief stole her 6ft Christmas tree from her front porch, with the entire incident captured on her Ring doorbell camera.
The Shocking Discovery
Zoe Murray, 52, from Loughborough, Leicestershire, had popped out to collect her daughter from work at 10pm on November 26. Upon her return, the disabled mother, who is unable to work, immediately noticed something was amiss.
"I didn't hear a thing and when I stepped outside - my tree was gone!" Zoe recounted. The large tree, which had been positioned proudly outside her home, had vanished into the night. With two smaller trees flanking her porch untouched, she was baffled by the thief's choice of target.
The Footage and The Aftermath
Checking the live feed from her doorbell camera, Zoe discovered the culprit's identity—or at least, their silhouette. The recording showed a hooded figure approaching her property, boldly pulling the tree free from its stand, and sprinting down the road with the festive fir.
Zoe managed to recover the scattered ornaments and baubles that same evening, finding them strewn along the road. Speculating on the motive, she suggested, "I reckon it was a dare - like a mate put them up to it."
Hope was not lost for the tree itself. After Zoe's daughter shared the clip on Facebook, a local resident commented that they had spotted the discarded tree in a nearby park. The following day, Zoe retrieved the tree with her grandson's help, reuniting with her festive centrepiece, albeit in a worse-for-wear state.
Damage Report and Police Involvement
The joyful reunion was bittersweet. The tree's lights were destroyed, ripped into five separate parts. For Zoe, the sentimental value of the decorations was paramount. "I was mainly worried about the decorations as there are some special ones. All but one were broken, so I was happy to get them back," she explained.
The incident has been officially reported to Leicestershire Police, though according to BBC reports, no arrests have been made at this time. Understandably cautious, Zoe has decided not to return the rescued tree to its spot on the front porch.
This incident serves as a stark reminder for homeowners to be vigilant, especially during the festive season when parcels and decorations can become targets for so-called 'porch pirates'.
