Look at Frosty go: Ornament thieves caught on camera

As she watched herFrosty the Snowman lawn decoration speed off over the hills of snow,it wasn't "thumpety thump thump" Elizabeth Godonheard: it was the sound of cackling young men, the clatter ofplastic andthe roar of a small sedan making its getaway with Frosty and his buddy,Nic the Christmaspig, crammed inside.

"Look at Frosty go," Godonthought.

Godon's home security camera captured the whole scene: on Dec. 7, three young men exita carand runup to Godon's festively decorated yard on Sacremento Drive in Orlans. One of them heads directly for Frosty.

"He drop-kicks it, then he picks it up and runs with it," Godonsaid.

Remarkably, Frosty staysilluminated as the young man hustleshim back to the car, but theextension cord finally reachesits limit as the thiefshovesthe snowman into the back seat.

Another young man bursts into the frame with Nicunder his arm, then stuffs the pigin behind Frosty. And off they go.

Catch me if you can

That's when a light bulbwent off for Godon. A red one. Last year, when one of Frosty's lights burned out, the only spare in the house was a scarlet bulb more suited to that other Christmas character.

"At the time, I was like, 'You can't have this red light. It doesn't match," Godonrecalled.

But like in the story, the red light guided Godon's way to her stolen decorations.

On a Saturday afternoon, she and her children spotted a Frosty with a single red light in front of a nearby house. Godontook pictures and shared them with Ottawa police.

Initially, Frosty's new owner claimed she'd had the ornament for years, but when police confronted her with evidence of the red bulb she gave in.

Godon also shared pictures of Nicthe pig on Facebook, and someone soon contacted her to report a sighting. Nic, too, was recovered.

"The only reason we got them back was because we had made them unique," Godonsaid. "We had photographs and we could prove that they were ours."

No charges have been laid.

Lights out

It's an all-too familiar story for DennyZidek. On Nov.29, he hung a brand new holiday light projectorfrom a tree in hisOrlansyard.

About 40 minutes later, his security cameras captured a dark figure plucking the gadget from the tree and fleeing.

"How do you make a light projector identifiable?" asked his daughter,DanielaBrowning, who watched asGodon'ssaga played out on anOrlansFacebook group.

Her parents don't plan to file a police report about the missing projector, but she said the thefts havemade her nervous.

"I've got a reindeer in my front yard that has been in the family for 30 years. It's handmade," she said.

They'll be back again someday

Godonnow keeps her decorations in her fenced backyard. Just to be safe,she'swritten her name inside them.

Ottawa police advise people to photograph their belongings, noting uniquely personal features, and to give police as much detail as possible when something isstolen.

"Having a photo of the item and any possible distinguishing features and/or serial numbers is crucial," police advise on their website.

They also advise people never to confront a suspected thief, including vigilante "sting" operations when the items are located for sale online.

Godon has now posted a sign in front of her house warning trespassers that their exploits will be captured on camera.