SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A Poway family was reeling after they woke up to find almost all their Halloween decorations gone.
It's Halloween Eve, and all Mandy Caparso can think about is the frightening sight that vanished in the night.
"It's just devastating, sad," said Caparso.
Early Tuesday morning, just past 2 a.m., as Caparso's family slept in their home on Saddlewood Drive, their dog started barking.
"Two or three other neighbors confirmed they heard a loud engine revving, which would have been the truck going up the hill," said Caparso.
Hours later, Caparso woke up and discovered most of her Halloween display gone, including three inflatables, several skeletons, and an animatronic witch.
Also among the stolen items were four pumpkins that she and her sons, ages 6 and 11, spent the whole weekend carving.
"The 6 year old was bawling for two hours. Why would someone do this? … It's hard to explain to a 6-year-old why people want to steal the things you put out just to bring joy to others," said Caparso.
The total loss was between $800 and $1,000 worth of decor. At least two other nearby homes were hit. Around two that morning, surveillance cameras in the neighborhood captured a truck driving in and out of the area. The truck was similar to one spotted in La Mesa an hour and a half later.
On Tuesday, Steve Peron described to me the items that had disappeared from his yard on El Paso Street in La Mesa.
After four people in hoodies were recorded racing through his yard, grabbing decorations, before tossing them into the nearly full truck bed. Peron's yard was one of two targeted on his street. That truck, again, looked similar to the one in the Poway neighborhood.
"If it's the same truck, it's a coordinated effort. This was an operation," said Caparso.
Whether the motive is to resell the items, or something else, a frustrated Caparso says she has this message for the thieves.
"I really hope that you have children one day, and that you can see the look of excitement on their face when you decorate for a holiday, and someone takes that away from you.
ABC 10News contacted the San Diego Sheriff's Office and La Mesa Police to see if they are investigating a link and is waiting to hear back.
Meanwhile, Caparso says she has replaced some of the items but will not put them out until Halloween and will take them down at the end of the night.
