"Grinch" wanted for cutting electrical wiring at Washington Township Christmas light show: police
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) -- A vandal cut the electrical wiring that powers the lights for "GLOW! The Light Show" in Washington Township, Gloucester County, police said.
Authorities said the vandal also stole several items.
The owners are now working around the clock to bring back Christmas magic to the community.
The owner told CBS Philadelphia the thief, who they've nicknamed the "Grinch," snuck in through a side entrance off Berlin Cross Keys Road before wreaking havoc.
The lights at GLOW! The Light Show" covers 19 and a half acres and the full display is filled with 3 and a half million lights. But, the show was stalled for at least a day and forced to close on Monday night.
"This is what runs our entire show over there," Dan Uszaki, the owner and creative director of "GLOW! The Light Show," said.
Uszaki says someone broke into his office trailer and two storage containers on Sunday at around 4 a.m., cut the electricity that powers the show and stole whatever they could carry off.
"They filled up a bag with all kinds of things, tools, whatever else they got out of the trailer," Uszaki said.
Surveillance video released by police shows the vandal at work. Uszaki said he or she may as well have been wearing all green - like a real-life Grinch.
"We were hurt by it," Uszaki said. "We felt like we maybe let our guard down a bit too much."
Late Monday night, crews were testing things out again after repairing the damaged wiring and computer system, but Uszaki said the crime has a cost.
"It's really not about me, it's about our staff. So tonight, we would have had $3,000 out in payroll to families. These are people trying to get through the holiday season," Uszaki said.
And while Uszaki says he's determined not to let this act ruin Christmas, and hopeful to reopen on Tuesday, he did have this message for the person responsible:
"I hope you got what you needed," Uszaki said. "You did shut down an event for kids tonight. It's sad. Please don't come back."
The operators of "GLOW! The Light Show" said they'll be adding additional security in the days and weeks leading up to and through Christmas.
Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call Washington Township Police.
