News Nearby: Decatur Woman Asks, Who Would Steal My Skeleton?

Nancy Wilkinson says grinches are stealing her holiday decorations – and her good spirits.

Wilkinson, known around Decatur for going all out to decorate her house on Adair Street for Halloween, Christmas and other holidays, said a young woman stole a life-sized medical skeleton Monday afternoon.

"This was bold," she said in an email. "The woman pulled into our driveway and ran up on the porch. Susan (her partner) saw her come up and was heading for the door when she saw the woman dash down the stairs with the skeleton. She banged on the windows and yelled, but the thief kept moving. Shoved the skeleton into the car and took off."

Last month, she put a cut-out of Abraham Lincoln in front of the house for Abe's Feb. 12 birthday along with a group of monkeys and dinosaurs out front for Darwin Day. She planned to leave him until Presidents Day but realized Abe was gone Feb. 23.

In an email, Wilkinson said she's reconsidering how big to go with her decorations now.

Right now, I'm uncertain whether I'll celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year. I know that these decorations could not possibly have much re-sale value, so it's hard to understand what this mean-spirited person is up to. I kind of thought when Abe disappeared that it might have been some party-goers wandering by who got it into their heads to take the president along on some drunken adventure.

But the skeleton theft was planned and in broad daylight. It really bothers me because the skeleton was a Christmas gift from my partner - she went out of her way to find me a gift that she knew I'd love even though my crazy hobby sometimes takes over our house and our schedule.

Wilkinson says some small items have been taken in the past, probably by unsupervised children. She says the Decatur police responded promptly and understood the problem was the boldness of the theft, not the value of the stolen items (though the skeleton cost $225).

For more information about Wilkinson's decorating hobby, visit her Facebook page.

Other Patch stories about Nancy Wilkinson.

• Decatur Woman Goes All Out For Holiday Decorations

• City Names Winners in Decorating Contest

• See Photos of Wilkinson's Halloween Decorations