Bah humbug — Vandals cut down South Jersey town’s Christmas tree

🎄The tree was unveiled Saturday afternoon at a lake near Franklin Township

🎄It was found vandalized two days later

🎄Another tree will be put up and decorated on Saturday or Sunday

FRANKLIN (Gloucester) — Who is the Grinch trying to steal Christmas in this Gloucester County township?

After a festive party Saturday at the Capozzi Recreation Building in Franklin Township to welcome the holidays the tree decorated by Franklin Pond was found Monday laying on the ground cut at the base, according to Recreation Commission member Rich Daubenspeck.

"I have been blessed to be a part of a group that works so very hard to do nice things for our residents, and then this happens. I just do not understand," Daubenspeck wrote on his Facebook page. "People wonder why no one wants to volunteer."

Franklin Township Police Chief Matthew DeCesari shared the pictures on the department Facebook page late Tuesday afternoon. He encouraged whoever was responsible to turn themselves in, or someone who knows who did it to "do the right thing."

As of noon Wednesday, no one had fessed up, DeCesari said to New Jersey 101.5. Detectives are reviewing surveillance video to find the vandals.

Christmas spirit lives on in Franklin Township

There will be some rockin' round the Christmas tree at Franklin Pond in Franklin Township after all.

Exley's Christmas Tree Farm, which donated the original trees to the recreation building has offered another tree, Daubenspeck said in a subsequent Facebook post.

Daubenspeck said that the recreation commission will invite residents to help decorate the new tree during the upcoming weekend with a date and time to be announced.

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