Grinch who took Christmas lights, decorations in Island Park arrested, cops say
The Grinch who stole Christmas has been arrested, police said.
Tiffany C. Fischer, 31, was arrested at her home at 35 Marine Rd. in Island Park about 2:25 p.m. Monday and charged with petty larceny, Nassau County police said.
Initially identified by police as a short man with a heavy build in a gray hooded sweatshirt and jeans, Fischer, a woman, stole a bunch of Christmas lights and decorations from outside a home in Island Park, police said.
The theft occurred on Truxton Road just before 3:15 a.m. Sunday, police said. The suspect, now identified as Fischer, arrived in a white or light-colored Kia Soul — and promptly stole not only a bunch of “light-up lollipop ornaments” from the front lawn, but also the timers and extension cords used to power them, authorities said.
Fischer then placed all the stolen items into the Kia and drove off, police said.
No one answered Fischer’s phone Monday night and it was unclear if she has an attorney.
The incident is one of several holiday-season thefts reported to police in recent days.
A homeowner on Boston Avenue in Massapequa reported that two women stole a large inflatable penguin from her front lawn either late Saturday or early Sunday, then requested that police not pursue an arrest in the case. Police said Monday that, as far as they are concerned, that incident is closed.
With Nicole Fuller
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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