It wasn't the Grinch who stole Christmas, after all. Police say it was a group of women who allegedly swiped 15 wreaths, a Santa flag and a 5-foot-tall red-nosed Rudolph lawn reindeer during a night of prankish fun in the Towson area.
But the only gift the women -- all 18 years old -- have gotten for the pranks is a day in court. The women -- four of them Towson State University students and the other a visitor from New York -- were each given a summons yesterday charging them with six counts of petty theft for Sunday's incidents, said E. Jay Miller, a Baltimore County police spokesman.
Police were tipped off to the women's identities by a homeowner who got the license plate number from the car they escaped in after his hand-made pine cone wreath was stolen. All five suspects showed up at the Towson precinct station just before midnight Sunday, carrying their Christmas plunder.
"We have identified four of the wreath owners and returned them, but we've got several other wreaths still at the station waiting to be claimed," Mr. Miller said. "If anyone's got a wreath missing, they should call the Towson station [887-2361]."
Police allege that the group drove around the Idlewylde and Greenbriar neighborhoods in the wee hours of the morning, collecting Christmas decorations from the lawns and doors of residences.
Charged were Towson freshmen Nichole Lea Barker of Havre de Grace, Jennafer Cross Little of Great Mills, Kelly Lynn Rottmund of the 8000 block of Ridgetown Drive in Harford County, and Coleen Michelle Dougherty of Huntington, N.Y. Another New York resident, Marie Nadine Constantine, was also charged, police said.
Police said the group's biggest mistake was taking the pine-cone wreath off the front door of Robert McEnroe's house in the 500 block of Overcrest Road.
"I looked out the window and realized the wreath was gone," said Mr. McEnroe, 36. His 64-year-old mother, Margaret McEnroe, had made him the wreath as a gift, he said.
"I threw my clothes on and decided to hop in the car to see what I could find out," he said.
Minutes later, he spotted a Honda Accord on a nearby street, awkwardly parked. The car bolted as he approached, but he noticed several people inside and took down the tag number.
Mr. McEnroe said his wreath has since been returned.