Police searching for vandal who sliced through inflatable holiday decorations

Natick Police are searching for a vandal who sliced through a family's collection of inflatable holiday decorations, just days before Christmas.

The slashing spree was caught on camera as 12 of the family's 13 inflatables deflated Wednesday night on Wethersfield Road.

Two cameras pointing toward the front of the home were rolling, and the footage is now in the hands of the police, who released two enhanced still images to Boston 25 News.

The images show what appears to be one person wearing a hoodie, using a sharp object to pierce 12 inflatables sometime Wednesday night.

The Hoyt family told Boston 25 News the video they gave police appears to show the suspect then getting into the passenger seat of a car and leaving.

"It's upset two little kids," Angela Hoyt said. "Not only my kids, but a family's in the neighborhood who drive by every night to take a look."

The family has been putting the decorations up ever since they moved into the home about nine years ago, and they say the festive display is something their 4-year-old twins especially look forward to.

"It's heartbreaking someone would do this, this time of year," Angela Hoyt said. "Someone was on my property, they took the time to do something that was harmful."

Matt Hoyt said he was disappointed to see the decorations vandalized as Christmas rolls around.

"We do this every year for the kids, and this is what comes of it," Matt Hoyt said. "It's horrible."

The Hoyt family said the inflatables were turned on Wednesday night around 5 p.m., and they made the revelation about four hours later as they were putting the kids to bed.

“I don’t know if ill do more inflatables in fear this might happen again," Angela Hoyt said.

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They say that, while they are upset about what happened, they will not let it bring down their Christmas spirit.

After an interview with Boston 25 News, a neighbor stopped by to donate one of his inflatable decorations to the family, and the Hoyt family said the gesture showed they are not alone in feeling that spirit.

"We will still have a lot of Christmas spirit left," Angela Hoyt said.

Natick Police say they're investigating several additional reports of stolen decorations or lights being cut in different parts of the community, but nothing of this magnitude.

Cox Media Group