GRINCH-LIKE thieves stole Christmas decorations from an old people’s home in the dead of night.

The crooks smashed baubles on the driveway outside Beautfort House and stole a four ft long garland.

The expensive decoration had been a gift from a woman whose late mother had been cared for at the home in St Vincent’s Road, Southend. Manager Sue Brown said she wanted to warn others who are glitzing up their homes for Christmas.

She said: “I’d like people to be made aware because this is the time of year people are spending hard earnt money to decorate their houses and have a Happy Christmas.

“It’s not exactly a good time for a lot of people because we’ve got so much unemployment and people struggling. “The last thing you want is mindless idiots to go round and steal what you’ve worked for.”

Their garland had cost about £150 from Harrods and they will struggle to replace it. It was so heavy that it needed three staff to lift it, and it had to be installed using metal hooks. Now these have been ripped out it has left holes in the wall.

Mrs Cook said: “Feelings are running high amongst the staff as they can not believe someone would stoop so low as to ruin our elderly residents’ Christmas. "

The garland is green and covered in pink roses and baubles. It was stolen between 10.20pm on Tuesday and 7am on Wednesday, when it was reported to police.

Anyone with information should call Southend police on 101.