$400 in Halloween decorations stolen from Lorain family

LORAIN, Ohio - Bob Gillispie toiled away on a jackhammer in his garage Tuesday morning. It wasn't to replace his driveway. It was for his mannequin to hold in his garage's electric chair scene.

Gillispie has spent almost every day since August working with his daughters to create a unique Halloween display from one end of his yard to the back fence.

The Lorain Police Department listed 23 items stolen from Gillispie's front yard totalling more than $400, most of which was bought by Gillispie's daughters. 

"I didn't know about it until 11 o'clock in the morning. Who would think people would be stealing stuff?" Gillispie said.

"I walked out front and I thought ‘Where's the skeleton?’ Then I saw a couple spiders in the neighbor’s yard and I thought maybe it blew over. So then I started looking around and I said ‘That head's missing, that head's missing, that wolf's missing, that cage is missing, that big guy's missing,’ and I said ‘What the heck?’" Gillispie said.

The Gillispies have stocked their home for 10 years worth of items, accumulating unique and scary scene-setters. Often handmade, the entire house is decorated inside as well in anticipation of their annual house party. All neighbors and friends are welcome.

"My wife and I each had a scare over nine years ago, health-wise. She's now in remission for ovarian cancer, and since then, we make the most out of every holiday. Almost using the decorating as therapy. My daughters really work hard on this and my wife is Italian, so she cooks like there's no tomorrow for the party,” Gillispie said.

"We have had kids big and small drop their candy bags and run. It's a lot of fun,” he said. “We once had a lady come in with her baby in a stroller and got so involved in the display that she left her baby and had to come back in to get her.”

So far, the Lorain police do not have witnesses, but are hoping that some of the Gilispie's unique items will turn up in another yard's display and get recognized.

"I'm a forgiving person. My daughter's not so much," said Gillispie.

They constructed a sign Monday stating "To the Grinch that stole Halloween, kiss my..." with a wooden art rendition of a woman's posterior sitting next to it.

"I let it (the sign) sit in my front yard yesterday, but brought it inside my fence today. It's a little over-the-top, but the point has been made." said Gillispie.