Camera Catches Midtown Christmas Vandals In Act

Vandals wrecked a Tulsa man's expensive Christmas display early Saturday morning, and it was all caught on camera.

Carl Neat has been putting out Christmas decorations for more than two decades at his home near 41st Street and Yale Avenue, and he hasn't really had any problems.

Until now.

Thankfully, he had security cameras installed just over a week ago.

"I [decorate] basically for the kids," Neat said. "I start like two days after Halloween."

Neat says what takes him weeks to set up was destroyed in less than five minutes.

His inflatables were slashed, the Christmas lights cut and dozens of holiday ornaments were busted.

"Luckily they didn't do anything to my manger set, because that is old, old,"

Neat estimates the damage adds up to $2,000.

"When I looked out the window I seen the damage, and then I looked at my surveillance, and it revealed everything," Neat said.

In the video, you can see what appears to be a white van drive by around 3:35 a.m., then two young men sneak up to the lawn.

After hiding behind Neat's car, they step off camera, but they soon come right back into frame, just long enough for you to watch them throw a couple eggs and a lawn ornament.

"Eggs, they could have plastered this whole house, that wouldn't have bothered me, I can wash that off," Neat said.

He hopes someone will recognize either the car or the two people and call police.

"It's not the damage itself, it's just the principle of the situation," Neat said.

Neat says he'll also have to break the news to the dozens of church groups and children who visit every year.

"Whoever done it, I just want ‘em to know that they're on surveillance," Neat said.

Neat says it will take at least a week to put everything back together because while some things can be patched, others will just have to be thrown away.

His goal is to have everything up and running in time for Christmas.