Grinch Spoils Light Up Festival In Beaver

BEAVER (KDKA) -- There's a Grinch on the loose in Beaver this year. How mean can you be?

"Absolutely, we have hundreds of kids waiting in line to see Santa," DeGori said.

Last Friday, the stage was set for Beaver's Holiday Light Up Festival in McIntosh and Irvine Parks in the center of town.

Santa and his elves were in the gazebo and 10 80-foot fir trees were decked with lights waiting to be lit when a miserable discovery was made.

"Discovered that the lights were cut to eight or 10 trees so, of course, kinda put a damper on the festival," DeGori said.

The vandals made sure the show could not go on.

"The lights were cut in several different places - no way to fix the lights prior to the event taking place," he said.

The festival has been a tradition here for more than two decades. Fans were flummoxed.

The price tag for unplugging Santa is likely to be steep. Estimates are still incomplete but it could cost about $500-per tree.

"Obviously, it was done intentionally," says Detective DeGori. "We don't know what the motive is – we're just looking for somebody to come forward."

Whoever committed that vandalism is very likely to get coal in their stocking. A reward - a substantial reward - is also being offered by Beaver Police and County Crime Solvers.

All tips can be made anonymously.