Beloved Christmas decoration stolen from front lawn of San Francisco home

SAN FRANCISCO - There is a damper on the holiday cheer in one San Francisco neighborhood.

Homeowner Peter Sachs said someone stole a beloved Christmas attraction from his front lawn, and that the thief robbed the neighborhood of something invaluable.

On this damp December night, there is an extra chill in the air on 28th Avenue near Quintara Street in the Sunset neighborhood.  

"I just had the two metal stakes on the ground here," Sachs pointed out the spot where he said someone stole the newest addition to his annual Christmas display from his front lawn Monday night.

A 4-foot inflatable Olaf, a character from the movie Frozen, was secured with stakes and tethered is now gone.

"It really made me angry and it made me really sad," Sachs said. Sachs likened the thief to the Grinch who stole Christmas.

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"I don't know how desperate you have to get to take an inflatable in a blowing wind and rainstorm," Sachs said.

He and his son discovered Olaf stolen Tuesday morning.

"We generally feel like this is a pretty safe neighborhood. We take normal city precautions, but it really does surprise me," said neighbor Carol-Ann Laughlin.

Olaf was a favorite among the neighborhood children.

"I've seen kids take selfies with Olaf and hugging Olaf," said Sachs.

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Neighbors said Sachs is the first on the block to put up his Christmas display, and he spurs on others.

"The day he put them up, he may have texted me: Well, I have a thousand lights up," said neighbor Matt Goodwin and that his response was, "I started putting lights up too."

Now, Goodwin says he has a new concern about the Christmas display he has put up. "Just a sad state of affairs that people have to worry about their Christmas decorations."

Sachs said he's been putting up a Christmas display here at the family home for a decade and nothing like this has ever happened before.

He said Olaf costs only $30 but the joy it brings is priceless.  

"People walk by to see our decorations and everyone else's decorations. You're taking away from the whole neighborhood." Sachs said he will buy another Olaf, but it likely won't arrive until after Christmas. Still, he plans to display it through January.