LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) - It was a nightmare before Halloween. Thieves were caught on camera making off with thousands of dollars worth of Halloween decorations at two homes in La Mesa.
ABC 10News reporter Michael Chen followed through with the homeowners after they received a special surprise.
Cellphone video shows Emily Perrine's stunned kids gazing upon a spooky surprise on Wednesday night.
"Take a look, guys," Perrine can be heard saying as her kids exited their SUV.
"It's sooooo good!" exclaimed her youngest daughter.
The emotions were vastly different one day earlier.
"It's gross. Why? It's a couple days before Halloween," Perrine said, speaking with me on Tuesdayafter she and a neighbor on El Paso Street were targeted by thieves, caught on video grabbing Halloween decorations.
Perrine lost dozens of decorations, including several animatronics. Her three kids were distraught, including her 12-year-old son.
"He was upset, couldn't believe it, didn't want to pass out candy," she said on October 29.
But after our story aired, a Clairemont Mesa woman reached out to Perrine, responding to her post on the Nextdoor app.
"She said her kids are older. They were the cool Halloween house when they were younger, and now they are all out of the house now … and offered to give me her Halloween decorations. I had no clue how many," said Perrine
The amount donated was so scary, in a good way.
"I told them thanks a million times, almost cried. So excited to surprise my kids with it," Perrine said.
In all, dozens of decorations were donated, including eight animatronics.
Hours later, her three kids would get their surprise after several of the decorations were put up.
Perrine believes the most excited of her kids, low-key excited, was her 12-year-old son.
"Michael Myers is cool," said her son in the cellphone video.
"Did we save Halloween?" asked Emily.
"Yep," he replied.
Perrine plans to put up all the decorations in time for Halloween tonight. She hopes to include the decorations as part of a new neighborhood tradition for future Halloweens.
