Christmas

Holiday Wreaths Stolen from Old Saybrook Business

Scott's Farm Store off Middlesex Turnpike in Old Saybrook is a place families come year after year to pick up holiday decorations.

But when workers came to the store Saturday morning, they knew something was wrong. They saw wreaths and other items on the ground.

"It was obvious something had happened overnight," said Scott's Farm Store manager Monica Carlson.

Surveillance video from Friday night into early Saturday morning confirmed what workers feared. It shows someone ride up on a moped and walk in front of the shop for several minutes, sometimes appearing to talk on a phone. About 10 minutes later, cameras show the first wreath taken. As the minutes pass, a man with his face covered casually takes wreaths away, one at a time. Police say a total of 13 were stolen that night, costing the store about $1,000.

"That's a big hit for a small business like this," said Carlson.

Carlson says this time of year is important for the store. For nearly 40 years, the shop has been a part of the Old Saybrook community.

"It's kind of like a tradition," said Old Saybrook resident John Costigan. "We usually come here every year."

For seven years Costigan says he's been coming to Scott's Farm Store to get his Christmas tree, and he was surprised to learn someone decided to steal from the shop.

Workers say the holiday wreaths are made by hand. They hope someone recognizes the person on camera.

"It's heartbreaking because you put so much time and effort into it. And the customers enjoy it so much. You're taking away not only from the family business but the customer's enjoyment.

Workers say they've made changes to security to try and prevent this from happening again. If you recognize the suspect, Old Saybrook police would like to hear from you.

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