Santa Claus Doll Stolen from Shopping Street in Tokushima; Sign Put Up Saying, ‘Santa Delivering Presents’

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:46 JST, December 12, 2023

A Santa Claus doll and other Christmas decorations have been stolen from a shopping street in the city of Tokushima, and the street’s association on Thursday filed a damage report with police.

The stolen items were a 1-meter-tall Santa Claus doll and five decorative boxes, set up at Korune no Izumi square on Dec. 1 by the association to bring Christmas cheer to shoppers and children. According to the association and others, security camera footage shows a car stopping next to the square around 11 p.m. on Dec. 1, and what looks to be a man getting out of the car, loading the doll and other items into the car, and driving away.

To keep children from worrying, a sign was put up in place of the Santa Claus that says, “Santa is out delivering presents.”