Thief Steals 6-Foot Metal Menorah From Hollywood Family's Yard As Hanukkah Celebrations Begin
HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami) – A Hollywood family celebrating Hanukkah got an unpleasant surprise when they found their 6-foot metal menorah missing from their front yard.
"The neighbor told us that they actually saw someone pick it up and put it in the back of their truck," said Arthur Eckstein, the man who owns the menorah.
It happened in the Emerald Hills neighborhood of Hollywood Saturday morning.
Eckstein said a neighbor told them they saw a man trying to take the large metal menorah. The neighbor confronted the would-be thief.
"She said, 'Hey, put it down! It's not yours. They want to light the menorah for Hanukkah.' And he said, 'If I don't take it somebody else will.' And she said, 'No, put it down.' And he did, but apparently he must have come back around and taken it again," Eckstein said.
The neighbor said the man was driving a white Ford -150 pickup truck and was pulling a trailer behind. The Eckstein's are trying to figure out why someone would take it.
"I think it was more that somebody just saw an opportunity to make a couple extra bucks, was inconsiderate and took something that didn't belong to them," said Jericah Eckstein.
The Ecksteins now have a 9-foot menorah in their driveway and will light it this evening at 6:30.
"The way to fight darkness, when something like this happens, we add light," said Rabbi Eli Eckstein.
He's Arthur's son and the rabbi at Chabad of Dania Beach.
In the true spirit of Hanukkah, Rabbi Eckstein said lighting the menorah with family and neighbors will help dispel the darkness.
"We're going to bring a bigger menorah, we're going to increase the light, bring more light into the world, more acts of kindness into the world and that's how we're going to get rid of the darkness," Rabbi Eckstein said.