ROBLES
RODRIGUEZ
NEWS Staff Report
San Benito police arrested two men who allegedly stole a holiday decorative inflatable from a home, according to a department news release.
At approximately 4 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, an officer was flagged down by a resident who saw a man allegedly stealing an inflatable from outside his home.
A description of the man and vehicle was provided, and officers were able to locate them a short while later, said police.
The vehicle was found with the inflatable Christmas décor in its backseat, according to a San Benito Police Department (SBPD) press release. The passenger and the individual witnessed by the caller was identified as 32-year-old Ramiro Robles and the driver was identified as 41-year-old Mark Anthony Rodriguez, according to police.
Both men are said to be from San Benito.
Robles’ charge of theft was upgraded to a state jail felony due to previous theft convictions and Rodriguez was charged with both theft of the inflatable and for having been in possession of less than two ounces of marijuana during the police encounter.
Robles was also charged with separate pending warrants for felony theft and criminal trespassing from incidents that occurred in late November of this year, according to the SBPD.
According to Backyard Boss, an online gardening and home improvement site, homeowners can make holiday decoration items hard to carry in an effort to prevent theft. Bulky lawn decorations and larger ornaments discourage thieves from taking them since they are harder to lift. When choosing holiday décor, shoppers should check their weight, especially if homeowners are investing in something expensive, the site recommends.
The site also suggests that if homeowners have any decorations that need to be plugged into an outdoor socket, homeowners should look into locking cords. Locking cords secure plugs and ensure they don’t randomly disconnect from power. This also means that a thief will have a harder time unplugging and running away with lights, projectors, or blowers.
Tie-downs such as zip ties and lawn stakes help fasten loose items to more permanent yard features, according to Backyard Boss. Zip ties are great for tying down Christmas lights to prevent them from moving, and lawn stakes can be used for standalone items that could get blown away by the wind.
Heavy-duty duct tape instead is also suggested to secure item where applicable. Tape can be used to lock in plugs, secure lights, and keep other decorations fixed to homes. A thick layer of cling wrap around the female end of plugs could work too. Though it’s not fancy, they secure a vulnerable part of the décor.
Weights or weighty items can be used to anchor hollowed décor and other decorative items, according to the site, by filling the decoration with something heavy or attaching it to a weight before placing it on the lawn. As long as homeowners make the item difficult to carry, decorations are much safer, according to the website.
Finally, the way homeowners set up their decorations makes a huge difference in what can and can’t be stolen. The closer decorations are to the front door, the less likely they’ll be stolen. A good rule of thumb is to keep more expensive decor items closer to the house because they’ll be harder for people to reach.
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