Brazen thieves caught stealing Christmas lights, toys, packages in true Grinch-like fashion

As Christmas nears, the festive cheer in Melbourne’s northern suburbs is being dimmed by bold thieves acting like real-life Grinches.

The Grinch has struck early in Melbourne’s north, with brazen thieves stealing toys, holiday displays and packages in a festive crime spree.

In Fawkner, a woman was left stunned after a thief — armed with scissors — helped themself to her Christmas lights at 4am.

Security footage captured the hooded culprit cutting zip ties to free the twinkling lights, then stuffing them under their jumper — all while they were still flickering — before casually walking away from the scene.

Brazen thief steals Christmas lights from a Fawkner home. Picture: Facebook.

The homeowner said she was “disappointed but sadly not surprised”.

“We had the lovely of pleasure of unknowingly donating our Christmas lights to a thief,” she said.

Some heartless thieves also targeted a treasure trove of children’s toys during a brazen ram raid at Fawkner’s Toyworld.

CCTV footage shows a Ford Ranger ute smashing into the Sydney Rd store’s large window, sending a storage shelf crashing to the ground.

Moments later, three masked offenders, dressed in black, sprung into action.

The trio could be seen hurling toys and other items into the tray of their vehicle before fleeing the scene — all in less than 90 seconds.

Heartless thieves have stolen a huge stockpile of children's toys during a ram raid at a Fawkner Toyworld. Picture: Supplied.

And in Reservoir and Thomastown, Christmas gifts and Black Friday sale purchases have been going missing.

In one instance, a woman was spotted driving through streets off Cheddar Rd and Keon Parade, stealing packages from doorsteps.

Concerned locals have taken to social media to warn their neighbours, with one witty resident going to creative lengths to protect his deliveries.

The man fills decoy boxes with bricks and leaves them in his driveway to “distract” thieves.

“It’s a distraction so they don’t get the real ones that get left at my front door,” he wrote online.

The man said he only set his plan into motion when expecting a package.

“It would be funny to see the expression on their face,” he said.

Closer to the CBD in Parkville, police arrested a duo after they allegedly stole packages from letterboxes.

Police allege a woman brazenly stole numerous packages from the lobby of an apartment tower on Galada Ave before placing them into a pram and walking away.

Police then raided the apartment tower residence, arresting a 50-year-old man and seizing clothes, drugs and allegedly stolen credit cards.

Police also arrested a 25-year-old Parkville woman.

To report crime information to Crime Stoppers Victoria, submit a confidential report online or call 1800 333 000.