A sheepish holiday lights fiend returned the lights he stole from a Staten Island home after seeing video of himself taking the lights on Facebook. He left a note upon his second visit admitting, "I was not thinking when I did it."
The video was posted to Facebook by retired police lieutenant Michael Reilly, who saw it on a private page first. In the footage, someone steps out of a dark-colored, double-parked car; walks onto the Huguenot home's lawn; removes the "two laser projector lights"; and then runs back into his car.
Reilly updated his Facebook post to inform the world that "the man in the video returned the lights with a note apologizing. The family who owned the lights extends a big THANK YOU to everyone for sharing!" And he included the note:
Of the thief, Reilly said, "He’s never going to do it again! We’ll see how that works out." He also gave WCBS 2 suggestions about securing holiday decorations, like using wire to tie the decorations down and having motion-sensor yard lights: "It may startle them if they go near it, and then all of a sudden it comes on, and they’ll move away."
'Tis also the season for package thieves, so be vigilant.
