La Mesa theft victims receive a Halloween surprise

LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) – It was a nightmare before Halloween. Thieves were caught on camera making off with thousands of dollars worth of Halloween decorations at two La Mesa homes.

ABC 10News reporter Michael Chen followed the homeowners after they received a special surprise.

Cell phone video shows Emily Perrine’s stunned children staring at a spooky surprise Wednesday night.

“Look, guys,” Perrine can be heard saying as her children get out of their SUV.

“It’s sooooo good!” her youngest daughter exclaimed.

The day before the emotions were very different.

“It’s dirty. Why? It’s a few days before Halloween,” Perrine said, spoke to me on Tuesdayafter she and a neighbor on El Paso Street were targeted by thieves, caught on video grabbing Halloween decorations.

Perrine lost dozens of decorations, including several animatronics. Her three children were distraught, including her 12-year-old son.

“He was upset, couldn’t believe it, didn’t want to give out candy,” she said on Oct. 29.

But after our story aired, a woman from Clairemont Mesa contacted Perrine and responded to her message on the Nextdoor app.

“She said her kids are older. They were the cool Halloween house when they were younger, and now they’re all out of the house now… and offered to give me her Halloween decorations. I had no idea how much ,” Perrine said

The amount donated was so scary, in a good way.

“I thanked them a million times, I almost cried. So excited to surprise my kids with it,” Perrine said.

In total, dozens of decorations were donated, including eight animatronics.

Hours later, her three children would be surprised after some decorations were put up.

Perrine believes the most excited of her children, low-key excited, was her 12-year-old son.

“Michael Myers is cool,” her son said in the cellphone video.

“Did We Save Halloween?” Emily asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

Perrine plans to put up all the decorations in time for Halloween tonight. She hopes to incorporate the decorations as part of a new neighborhood tradition for future Halloweens.