Christmas Grinch Slashing Holiday Decorations in Waukesha

Editor's Note: This article was updated at 2:20 p.m. Monday with information about the police department's investigation and suspects.

A Grinch has been stealing the Christmas spirit in Waukesha.

Whether it’s one Grinch or multiple Grinches, a holiday Scrooge has been damaging decorations throughout the city.

Nearly a dozen homes were hit over the weekend, according to the Waukesha Police Department, with vandals damaging lights and slashing inflatable decorations.

Waukesha Police Lt. Tom Wagner said authorities have identified two suspects and an active investigation is ongoing.

One Waukesha Patch reader says she was a vandalism victim.

“They got two inflatables at our house last night,” wrote Erica Russo Kasseckert on Waukesha Patch’s Facebook page. “My poor daughter was devastated this morning when I told her that someone slashed our Christmas decorations. She wants to get more but I hesitate figuring it will just happen again. We reported it but I'm not sure that will do any good.”

The following incidents involving Christmas decorations were reported to the Waukesha Police Department over the weekend:

• A person reported at 1:30 a.m. Saturday finding a neighbor’s Christmas decorations smashed in the 100 block of North Hine Avenue.
• A man reported at 6:10 a.m. Saturday that an unknown person ripped off his lights during the middle of the night in the 100 block of North Hine Avenue. The man told police he’s been having problems in the neighborhood and planned to install a camera to catch the vandal.
• Christmas lights were reported damaged at 8:36 p.m. Saturday in the 1100 block of School Road.
• Christmas decorations were reported slashed at 9:31 p.m. Saturday in the 1900 block of Marliz Drive.
• An inflatable Christmas decoration was slashed at 10:38 p.m. Saturday in the 200 block of Macarthur Road.
• Christmas decorations were slashed at 10:52 p.m. Saturday in the 500 block of North West Avenue.
• Decorations were reportedly cut at 8:55 a.m. Sunday in the 1700 block of Oakdale Drive.
• Six Christmas decorations were slashed at 2:45 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of Central  Avenue.
• A person reported at 6:09 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of Estberg Avenue that two inflatable Christmas decorations were “knifed.”
• A person reported at 8:04 p.m. Sunday that an inflatable Christmas decoration was slashed in the 100 block of Rivera Drive.