DIXON, CA (MPG) - The Grinch was loose on Christmas, stealing a bag of sports equipment from a locked storage shed at Dixon Montessori Charter School while students and staff were on Winter Break.

“We have about 40 cameras all around our school and we actually got it on camera,” said DMCS Executive Director Ben Ernest. “Someone walked in and cut off the locks off our storage. It was one person, and he took a bag of footballs, soccer balls, kickballs. I think it was on Christmas.” A police report was filed with Dixon Police Department.

The person looked to be between the age of 20 and 30 years old. The Department is looking at “all possible leads but have very limited information about the subject,” said Lt. Jenna Cameron.

“It was not a kid,” Ernest said. “Teachers do all kinds of character building in our classes but then there is always going to be some people...”  The value of the playground loss is about $500. Students have been on winter break and returned to school this past Monday, January 8.

Ernest looked through all the videos and noted with interest that while the unit was open, there were a couple families that allowed their children to get into the unit and play with the other equipment, but then the parents made the children put it back when they left.

Many of the balls are bright colors, like fluorescent green or orange, but all of the equipment is marked in large black permanent markers with ‘DMCS.’ One of those balls was seen in Northwest Park last weekend with the letters but the driver thought a student might have taken it home during break with approval. Ernest encouraged anyone in Dixon who sees the sports gear with these markings to call the Dixon Police at (707) 678-7080 or call the school at (707) 678-8953.