Christmas items stolen from garage

Christmas will not be the same this year for Mary Charbonneau, 79. She still has her nine children, 26 grandchildren and 26 great- grandchildren but not her Nativity scene, her beloved snowmen collection, her wreaths, and so many other Christmas decorations that are dear to her heart.

A few weeks ago, someone broke into her garage and stole boxes and boxes of Christmas items. They were more than just decorations to Charbonneau. They were heirlooms and memories from more than 50 Christmases.

"It just won't be the same without them. They were things that can't be replaced," Charbonneau said as tears filled her eyes.

Charbonneau has lived peacefully in her neighborhood on East Empire Street for the last 14 years, ever since her husband died, and had never encountered such "meaness," as she called it.

"Why would someone do something like this?" she wondered.

Charbonneau has noted in recent years a change in the neighborhood.

"The neighborhood used to be other senior citizens like me, but slowly people have moved to nursing homes or have passed away," she said.

A younger, less stable population has moved in, Charbonneau said. A man who lived in the apartment below her may have been responsible for the theft. One of the other tenants saw him in Charbonneau's garage. Later the man's children said he had taken the things from Charbonneau's garage and sold them. The man later denied the accusations, and the Christmas decorations were never returned.

The man was eventually kicked out of his apartment for failure to pay rent. Now Charbonneau no longer has to put up with late-night parties and other interruptions, but she also no longer has her Christmas decorations that have brightened her home for so many years.

"At least I still have my family," she said. "I am grateful for that."

Copyright 2000 Cowles Publishing Company
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