SAN RAMON, California - It takes a real Grinch to steal from children, especially when the theft of their property occurs in the parking lot of a church.
Here is more proof that the holiday season is also the season for porch pirates, shoplifters and out-and-out thieves.
Boy Scout Troop 1776 bears the same number as the year America declared its independence.
The group was robbed by thieves in the night.
A trailer full of sports and camping equipment was taken from its parking spot in the back of the Church of the Valley in San Ramon.
In all, the Scout troop is out $15,000 and the scouts cannot go camping without the contents or engage in certain community service activities. CSU East Bay professor Xeno Rassmuson, is the Scout Master, who said "Scouts sort of built this gear, and it belongs to you, and now it's gone. We have to start that all over."
The thieves, who apparently used a vehicle with a hitch, cut through a chain sometime last week, had to know the trailer had no lock on the hitch.
And, get this, one of the trailer's tires was flat.
"They had to change a flat tire, which we were about to do to get it more mobile again, and they swapped it. Probably swapped the plates, so it was undetectable by plate readers which San Ramon Police have checked; no evidence of it coming in or out," said Rasmusson.
It is all a part of the nation's growing culture of theft where, if something isn't nailed down or, even if it is, it's fair game for far too many people.
The Church of the Valley, after it was burglarized, installed security cameras which were on timers, suggesting that the thieves might have had some knowledge of the system's vulnerability to avoid detection.
Troop 1776 has a GoFundMe site for those who might want to help the scouts out.
"So, we're really grateful for funds for contributing that way; new or used gear," said Rasmusson.
Cash is better, since they have no place to store much, unless someone can help them store it.