EVERETT, OCT. 15: Irwin Family Lights, located in South Everett, has been putting on elaborate holiday displays for more than 12 years and has become a well-known local attraction during the holiday season.
This year, their Halloween display took weeks to set up and was officially open for viewing in late September. Since then, the display has been vandalized three times.
On September 28, nine skeletons were stolen from the Irwin’s’ front yard. The next day they posted about the theft on Facebook, and four skeletons were recovered from the Tambark Creek area in Mill Creek. However, five skeletons have yet to be recovered.
Irwin Family Lights has experienced minor incidents of vandalism over the years, but this is the first year they have experienced repeated destruction on their property, Display Owner Paul Irwin wrote in an email.
The Irwins’ reuse and repurpose decorations to help limit costs, and their budget has varied over the years, from hundreds to thousands of dollars being put toward the displays.
The repeated vandalism has forced the family to reconsider continuing with the displays.
“We initially shut down our light show. We decided to remove all the items from our yard which seemed to be the targets of the vandalism and continued with the lights and props on our house. Due to the nature of these vandalism events (amount and cost of damage and the repeated attacks) we are reevaluating future plans to decorate for Halloween and Christmas,” Irwin wrote.
The vandalism has left neighbors frustrated, citing similar concerns for their decorations and the potential loss of a neighborhood landmark.
“This is sad and so upsetting, I was just telling our little one we are going to come by your house again this year, it’s been a 4 year tradition! Thank you for all your hard work and creativity setting up your display,” a Facebook follower commented on a Facebook post.
Some neighbors have offered to organize a GoFundMe to support the family, but the Irwin’s declined.
“The cost of the damage is certainly a significant factor but we felt that money isn’t the solution we need,” Irwin wrote. “What is needed is for the people doing the damage to our display and others in the area to be caught, prosecuted and stop what they are doing.”
The family has been working with the Everett Police Department, who is currently investigating the case.
Everett Police Sergeant Kyle Coleman said that he hasn’t personally seen an increase or decrease of holiday related vandalism this year.
“I encourage neighbors to get to know each other and look out for one another,” Coleman wrote in an email.
Coleman also suggested being observant, joining a Neighborhood Association, immediately reporting crime, and taking steps to prevent or deter crime.
Community members can find more information about the city’s Community Watch program here.
Vandalism seen outside of Everett
The Irwin family isn’t the only house that has experienced vandalism to their Halloween display this year. In Arlington, one display owner found herself with $1,000 worth of damage.
Stephanie Kahlor in Arlington’s Gleneagle neighborhood has been creating displays for the past five years and has never experienced vandalism until this year. A 12-foot skeleton had been pushed over, as well as the head broken off a 7-foot skeleton dog, Kahlor wrote in an email.
“I’ve had a ton of community members reach out because they’ve seen these boys go through the neighborhood and cause mayhem,” Kahlor wrote.
According to Kahlor, four other houses in the neighborhood have also experienced property damage. Kahlor has been working with the Arlington Police Department, who have since been patrolling the neighborhood.
Jason Pittman and his wife run Pacific Northwest Christmas Lights, an online platform dedicated to featuring holiday displays around Washington and Vancouver, B.C.
The website began 14 years ago, first showcasing Christmas displays, and expanding to Halloween displays the past four years.
Vandalism, Pittman said, comes in waves. But this year it’s the worst he’s seen.
“I am hearing a lot of people will put up some very basic decorations early in the season and will maybe wait till the day before Halloween to actually put the big stuff out,” Pittman said.
The fear of vandalism to displays has discouraged houses from doing what they love, Pittman said.
“These things continue to happen, and I’ve had more than one display, because of issues and or vandalism, just stop displaying, and they have to walk away from their passion,” Pittman said.
