For over 10 years Laytonville’s Foster’s Ranch Market has ushered in the holiday season with a Christmas tree prominently displayed at their storefront.
In the early morning of November 29, 2023, surveillance footage captured a true-to-life Grinch approaching the business, snatching up their festive yule-tree, and making off with it into the night.
Law enforcement is now investigating.
Randy William Bonney Junior, a long-time employee of Foster’s, told us the store’s security cameras captured the tree thief from two different angles allowing employees to identify the suspect. One of the cameras caught the suspect “[driving] off with her door open after struggling with the tree breaking it in the process.”
The manager of Foster’s Ranch Market had put the tree up that day. Bonny said many in Laytonville have found the store’s annual Christmas tree tradition was a “comfort you could rely on”. He went on to say, “People know when they see it they can feel warm and expect Christmas music and kind friendly customer service peeps .”
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Captain Greg Van Patten confirmed that “a report was made to the Sheriff’s Office and that there was an investigation into the reported theft of an 8-foot-tall artificial Christmas tree that stood outside the closed business (time of theft).”
As of publication, Captain Van Patten said, “The deputy is still in the process of completing the report, but it looks like a suspect was identified and contacted. I need for the report to be further completed to understand how the investigation concluded.”
Foster’s Ranch Market’s commitment to spreading Christmas cheer is steadfast. They have a new tree on order. Bonney told us that for the first time since the tradition began “it’ll have to be chained up now.”
Let him have it and sing anyways
As opposed to geigers meat dept that steals from customers that bring beef in to be cut and wrapped. It’s refreshing to see the store decline. You reap what you sew
Love the video…a modern version of the centuries old public shaming by locking people in “stocks” on the street. Suggest thief work on an apology and hope the Observer will publish ; or look for somewhere else to live . A lesson in the value of integrity ; with it, one isn’t on film.