GALION, Ohio — SANTA NEWS — Galion Electric reported Wednesday that the Santa House they were keeping in storage has been missing since Tuesday morning.
Tony Slone, of Galion Electric, still did not know the whereabouts of the beloved structure as of Wednesday afternoon. He said Galion Electric agreed to keep the Santa House in storage until it was time to move it to the square for decoration.
The Santa House is used every year during Galion’s Come Home to Galion event, scheduled this year for Saturday, Dec. 5. The house will be used to house Santa for visits with children.
Slone said two of his employees planned on transporting the Santa House to the square on Tuesday.
“I had two guys working on getting the house up to the square on Tuesday. They came in the office and asked me, ‘where’s it at?’ I didn’t know what they were talking about at first. After a little bit I found out they were talking about the Santa House. Sure enough, we went out back and it was gone,” said Slone.
“I still don’t know where it is,” he added. “I didn’t want to involve the police for something like this though.”
The reason, he said, was because two hours after he and his employees discovered the Santa House had been stolen, he received a mysterious phone call from Come Home to Galion Planning Committee’s director, Shawna Layland.
“She said it would appear Monday. And then hung up,” he said.
Layland did not return numerous phone calls Wednesday afternoon.
According to a press release provided by the Come Home to Galion Planning Committee earlier in November, the Santa House is expected to be situated in the square, “newly renovated,” for Santa to meet and greet with children.
Sloan said one of his employees, who wished to remain anonymous, saw a white truck approach the Santa House Tuesday morning. The truck, Slone explained, pulled away with the Santa House.
“He assumed, and so do I, that it was the owner,” said Slone. “Whoever has it, I think has good intentions.”
Santa was not so sure.
Santa, whom Richland Source was able to interview over the phone on Wednesday, hopes the culprit comes clean — for the children’s sake.
“I know the person who took it was being bad. I hope they find it in their heart to bring it back,” said Santa from the North Pole. “Maybe they have good intentions, I don’t know. I just want a warm place to visit with the children — and some adults — of Galion.”
The annual Come Home to Galion event is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. A parade is scheduled for that day at 4:30 p.m.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
Disclosure: If you’ve made it this far and are still convinced this is a real story … don’t believe it. This story is entirely satirical; the Santa House is receiving cosmetic upgrades by Brush & Palette in time for its installation on the square on Monday, Nov. 23.
