Cold winds topple trees

Shopping park official says cost of replacing stolen tree lights has been over $2,000.

Damaging Santa Ana gusts hit 75 mph in the San Gabriel mountains.

The Montrose Shopping Park has been hit with a string of thefts over the last few months but, instead of stores being robbed of merchandise, thieves have been targeting Christmas lights.

Someone has been stealing the Christmas lights that adorn many of the trees at the shopping park between the 2200 and 2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue.

Dale Dawson, business administrator for the shopping park, said the cost of the thefts and replacing the lights has been more than $2,000.

He said it’s the first time he can recall anything like this happening.

“We haven’t got a clue as to who is doing it, and we can’t really pin down a specific location because they hit various areas,” he said.

Dawson suspects that whoever has been stealing the lights has been selling them and that some of the thefts occurred during daylight hours, because lights that were present in the afternoon were gone by the evening. “It’s a headscratcher that someone could be so bold,” he said.

Tahnee Lightfoot, Glendale police spokeswoman, said the department was notified of the thefts several days ago. Businesses have already been told to provide any relevant security footage to the department, while citizens have been asked to keep a lookout for suspicious activity.

“We have a community that’s upset about this because everybody loves going down to Montrose and go shopping or to dinner — it’s always been a really beautiful place during the holidays,” she said.

Dawson said the shopping park will continue to replace any of the lights during the holiday season. A $250 reward is being offered to help catch whoever is responsible.

“It’s just worth it to maintain the lights for the community and merchants,” he said. “It’s something that’s just iconic here.”

Saturday marks the return of the Montrose Christmas Parade, celebrating its 40th year. The parade — which takes place along Honolulu between Rosemont Avenue and Verdugo Road — begins at 6 p.m.

Anyone with information about the thefts is encouraged to call the police at (818) 548-4911.

Raul Roa Glendale News-Press HORACE MANN Elementary’s mascot waves to spectators gathered on Honolulu Avenue at last year’s Montrose Christmas Parade. This year’s is Saturday at 6.