It’s not even Halloween yet, and already, neighbors on North Bonita Street in Spring Valley were looking forward to seeing one particular home in all its Christmas glory.
“We love it. The whole neighborhood stops,” said Tina McKay. “It’s fantastic. You’ve never seen anything like this.”
It’s a spectacle of lights Mary Anne Flanagan and her partner have invested nearly two decades and thousands of dollars to deliver. But now, a majority of it is gone.
“We’re not going to be able to do the same thing this year,” she said.
Flanagan built a shed on her long-time friend and neighbor’s property to house the boxes and boxes of decorations. But she says some time in between her neighbor moving out, and new people moving in, the shed was broken into.
“I came running back here and opened the door and just started crying,” she said.
The loss was devastating, but Flanagan said it’s not a crime she or her neighbors will tolerate, nor will they allow it to limit their holiday spirit.
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Already, friends are helping them rebuild their Christmas inventory.
Flanagan has filed a crime report with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, and has been scouring swap meets and garage sales for any sign of the stolen lights.
She hopes they turn up, but in the meantime, she’s working on making this year’s display just as beautiful as those of years past.
“I really, really, just, I love Christmas,” Flanagan said.
