By Cindy J. Roth
The most-recent strike occurred Dec. 15 at 2705 Karen St. On a lavishly decorated lawn filled with dancing dreidels, fighting Maccabee warriors and spinning tops in celebration of Chanukah, there was a 60-pound, steel box with hundreds of dollars of donations for Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park.
But the box is not there anymore.
Homeowner Marc Aronson, 36, said this is not the first time the family has had their donation box stolen. Last year's box, which was lighter and easier to steal, was also taken. But this year's theft came as more of a surprise to the family, who had taken extra precautions by chaining the collection box to a metal rod holding decorations in the ground.
"The chain was cut with a chain cutter," said Aronson, who works in the display business. "There was probably $600 to $700 in the box."
Since word has gotten out about the box being stolen, Aronson said, many people have simply come up to him and handed him donations, and others have called and offered to send checks. The community, it seems, is quickly replenishing the dollars to be given to Schneider Children's Hospital and also locally to the Bellmore Fire Department's Adam and Kevin Memorial Fund.
Aronson does not think that whomever took the donation box is likely to bring it back. "It would be nice if I woke up this morning and it was out there, but it wasn't," he said. "The people are stealing from children and families lost in the World Trade Center."
Because the donation box was secured with a heavy chain, Aronson believes its theft was calculated by someone who lives in the area. "You couldn't just drive by," he said. "I don't think anyone would have a chain cutter in their car. I think it was local."
Also, in North Bellmore at 2427 Washington Blvd., Bonnie Smith said her eight-foot, blowup grinch decoration was stolen between 12:30 and 5 a.m. Dec. 5.
"It's very discouraging," she said. "They left us the extension cord."
Since Dec. 5, Smith has had no other problems with her other lawn decorations, but strobe lights were taken from her Halloween display in October. "It really is sad because you feel like you don't want to do it anymore," she said.
First and Seventh precinct police have received no reports of stolen decorations. First Precinct Crime Analysis Officer Darlene Luffman said a 10-foot, blowup Santa Claus was reported found on the Calhoun High School football field on Dec. 18, but no one had reported one missing. The price of such lawn decorations ranges from $49.99 to $69.99.
Smith has heard that other local residents have had problems with stolen decorations. One individual had two big, blowup decorations stolen, and another also had one stolen.
There might be little that can be done to prevent further thefts this year, but Aronson said the plan of attack for next year's donation box will be different. Instead of having a box, he plans to put out envelopes that people can take to mail in donations by themselves. He started the collection drive four years ago as a way to give back to the community. He picked Schneider Children's Hospital because his two children had been treated there when they were younger.
