CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. — A Citrus Heights family spent 19 hours putting up a massive Halloween display only to have it ruined by vandals, but the community rallied together to help repair the decorations just in time for the holiday.
Nick Edens says he and his family decorate their home and front yard in a massive display of spooky inflatables and Halloween decorations about a month before the holiday. He says several people stop by every day to take photos of the display and get into the spooky spirit of Halloween.
"We've had a candy bowl sitting at our front door for like a month because we do this about a month and a half early to let people enjoy," said Edens.
Creating such a large display is a labor of love that took them 19 hours to complete, according to Edens. He says bringing smiles and joy to the community is what it's all about.
"I have a three-year-old and a six-year-old and it starts with them," said Edens. “Everybody's so cool. They love our decorations, they love our house, they come out to us regularly to bring their kids by. We have people from Rocklin, Elk Grove, people come all over."
But just before 11 p.m. Tuesday night, Edens got a knock on his door from his neighbor. That’s when he learned the devastating news that the entire display was vandalized, all captured on his home surveillance.
"Right when I came to the door, I saw all of my stuff deflating. He's all, 'hey man, I just caught some guys in your yard, and they were slashing and stabbing and then they ran off,” said Edens. “My son was devastated. He just cried and cried and cried."
Edens' home wasn't the only one targeted. He says Ring video from neighbors show multiple other homes in his neighborhood were also struck by a group of four vandals.
But the very next day community members rallied together, spending several hours to help repair the inflatables and get the display back up just days before Halloween.
"A ton of people came to help us over that period of time, that whole entire day," said Edens. “We had seamstress ladies come here and bring their sewing machines, somebody bought us a camera for our Ring, people have dropped off notes, money. I can't thank them enough."
Edens says he and his neighbors plan to ramp up security further by adding more cameras on their homes but won't let the actions of the vandals ruin his Halloween spirit.
“We see tons and tons of good people coming here, talking to my kids and walking their dogs. One bad person doesn't define a community," said Edens.
Anyone with information about who may have vandalized these homes in Citrus Heights are encouraged to call the Citrus Heights Police Department.
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