Armed ‘Christmas Grinches’ steal gifts, then lead police on Christmas Eve chase, cops say

Two armed men — dubbed “Christmas Grinches” — stole presents from Ohioans and led police on a high-speed Christmas Eve chase, officials said.

The pair were spotted trying to break into unlocked cars in Painesville Township, about 30 miles northeast of Cleveland, early on Dec. 24, according to a Lake County Sheriff’s Office news release. They were driving a white SUV.

Deputies located the SUV and tried to stop it as it sped away from the area, the release said. During the chase, one of the men exited the SUV and ran, avoiding capture.

Eventually, the pursuit was called off “due to speeds and the roadway conditions,” deputies said.

But the SUV crashed into a roadside post after driving over spikes deployed on the road. The driver then fled from the SUV, and police, using a drone and K-9 units, were unable to find him.

Inside the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, deputies found credit cards, a firearm and wrapped presents. One of the gifts, according to photos posted by deputies, appeared to be a Nerf toy.

The items appeared to have been stolen from Painesville as well as the nearby towns of Perry and Madison. Deputies asked town residents to check their surveillance footage to help identify the missing suspects.

“The Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigation is ongoing,” deputies said. “However if you were a victim of these Christmas Grinches we ask that you file a theft report with your local police, so these gifts can be returned to the rightful owners.”

In an update, deputies said, “Many of the gifts have been returned so that they can reach their rightful recipient! Merry Christmas!”

This story was originally published December 26, 2023 at 10:01 AM with the headline "Armed ‘Christmas Grinches’ steal gifts, then lead police on Christmas Eve chase, cops say."