'Grinch Who Stole Halloween' caught on camera

PORT RICHMOND -- A Philadelphia family that was getting into the Halloween spirit was singled out by a thief who used the cover of night to commit the crime.

Little did the crook know, a surveillance camera was rolling outside the home on the 2800 block of Castor Avenue in Port Richmond and captured the entire incident.

The surveillance video indicates it was just shy of 5:10 a.m. Sunday when the female suspect calmly opened the gate and let herself into the front yard of the row house.

Her intent larceny.

Her target was a display of pumpkins, mums, and autumnal lights.

The homeowner, who doesn't want to be identified, wants to identify the culprit.

"It's the Grinch Who Stole Halloween," the homeowner said.

The lights, which were wired to inside the house, were impossible to take.

But the thief exits with the pumpkins which the homeowners says were homegrown by her kids in the backyard.

The camera then catches the woman moving her car closer and returning.

"And then comes back for all of my mums, all of my plants, just like it's her house," the homeowner said.

The suspect is a white female, who had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and was wearing a Frankford High School t-shirt with an 'F' on the front.

The homeowner hopes someone recognizes the mystery woman.

It's not about what was taken, the homeowner says, but that it all played out just feet from the front room where her little boy and husband had fallen asleep watching TV.

"I want everyone to know that this person is going around doing this, this close to your house; it's very disturbing to me," the homeowner said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.