A family in Riverview lost most of their Halloween decorations on Thursday night, when I neighbor saw a light-colored car drive up with its lights off and two men steal seven of their homemade tombstones, a plastic skeleton and a fabric ghost that had been in the family for 26 years.
Lou Lambiase and his family moved to Chattanooga a little over seven years ago and he said he is tired of the crime and lack of respect for life and property in this city. He said they have suffered from more crime in Chattanooga than when they lived for 11 years in Jacksonville, Fla., and five years in New Orleans.
Mrs. Lambiase is an artist and has spent many hours carving and painting faux tombstones with silly names and epitaphs like “Pete Zerria”, “ H. Kondriak, I told you I was sick”, “Ima Yeast, Pardon me for not rising”.
Over the last few years the Lambiase family has had one or two tombstones stolen a year. Mr. Lambiase said one year he called the police to report the theft and was laughed at.
"This time they did a full a Grinch job," said Mr. Lambiase. "They got seven out of 10 of the tombstones, a plastic skeleton and a fabric ghost that we have had in the family since the my 26 year old was an infant. Unfortunately, the neighbor could not catch them and did not get a license plate.
"Why would they be so mean as to steal everything? My wife spent hours creating these tombstones. The ghost although, a little ratty now, was pretty sentimental to me. All we wanted to do was have some fun with the neighborhood kids. By the reactions on Facebook and Nextdoor – the neighbors are saddened and the kids are upset."
Mr. Lambiase said he realizes this is pretty minor. "We could have had some major setback like a house fire, a grave illness in the family, or a house break in. But the mean spirited nature of this incident coupled by the almost sure dismissal by the Chattanooga police has left us disheartened.
"Right now I just want to get the decorations back."