Grinch attempts to steal Christmas: Woman tried to take lottery card Christmas tree during benefit for local cancer victim

The Whitehall Police Department expects to make an arrest is the case of a local Grinch who tried to steal Christmas.

The department is investigating an attempted larceny that occurred at Big G’s Pub on Main Street on Thursday,

Dec. 22 during a benefit for local cancer victim Danon Whiting.

During the event, an unidentified woman tried to steal a raffle item from a table, and although the item was

retrieved, the woman was able to get away.

The department has posted several surveillance images of the woman on their Facebook page and is asking if anyone

has any information on the woman to contact them.

According to police, at approximately 9 p.m. a woman walked up and grabbed a “lottery card Christmas tree,”

containing about 50-100 lottery tickets, from the table and attempted to leave through the front door.

Ashley Telisky, who organized the event, approached the woman and was able to retrieve the item but the woman

fled through the parking lot, got in a vehicle and left the scene lending some credence to the idea that the incident

may have been planned in advance.

To make matters worse, Telisky said the woman appeared to be upset and was sobbing, giving off the impression

that either she knew Whiting or had experienced a similar situation.

When Telisky turned away, the woman attempted to steal the item.

“I looked back and she was heading out the front door,” Telisky said.

Although several patrons were able to get a good look at the suspect, none of them could

identify exactly who the woman was.

The item she attempted to steal was one of several items on a table that were set to be raffled

off later that evening to benefit Whiting, who is battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Despite the incident, organizers said the event was a success.

Telisky said nearly 80-100 people attended the benefit, including some who have never

been to Big G’s.

“I was really happy with the turnout, everyone seemed to have a great time,” she said.

A number of people brought last minute donations and raffles, including several local businesses

who pitched into to help make the event a success.

Telisky said approximately $2,000 was raised, which will help pay some of Whiting’s medical bills.

“It was excellent,” Telisky said. “I’m super thankful for everything people did.”