A BRITISH man was left devastated after delinquents vandalised his collection of Christmas lights in the run up to Advent.
“Around €2,500 worth of lights and ornaments were destroyed or stolen. None of them were insured unfortunately. Everyone is very upset about this incident. I didn’t think kids here would do such a thing,” said Peter Holman.
Holman, 66, who has for five years lived in Kiti village in the Larnaca district, had adopted the habit of decorating his entire home with 10,000 Christmas lights and 36 ornaments.
The tradition was not only born out of a desire to brighten up the village during the festive season but had recently become a source of charity for the community and local primary school.
“People would come from Nicosia, the Famagusta district or even on their way to Limassol from the airport to stop and see it because it really is quite impressive. There was a collection box outside and people could leave donations which then went towards the community,” he said.
Last year, the Kiti community council had offered to store his vast collection at the old primary school.
“On November 3, when I went to the school to get my collection so that I could start putting up the decorations, I was told I was in for a shock,” he said.
To Holman’s horror, the room storing his prized possessions had been broken into. The boxes were in complete disarray and his beautiful lights and ornaments were strewn across the floor. At least one third had been damaged or stolen, he said.
The 66-year-old said the town councillors had been aware of the break-in but had failed to notify him until then.
“I reported it to police and they are investigating. They have taken DNA samples and fingerprinted a few boys. A community officer has spoken to the headmasters of the surrounding schools to talk to their students during assembly this Friday and at Christmas I’ll go around with police to see if I can identify out any of the missing items around the town. That’s about all they can do,” he said.
Among the missing items is a 6ft inflatable Father Christmas.
Holman said the incident had really upset him but that it would not deter him from putting on his display this year.
“The boxes have been delivered to my house and I’m trying to repair as much as I can before I put up the display. It will be a lot less than last year,” he said.
