SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) – A Shawano Christmas tree farm was victim to theft over the weekend.
Between 75 and 100 Christmas trees were stolen from Hanauer’s Tree Farm.
“I find it ironic at best that you would celebrate the birth of Christ with something that you stole.”
The trees were cut, bailed and ready to be shipped to Chicago.
“They were sold, they were paid for, so it is $2,500 dollars straight out of my pocket.”
Owner Dan Hanauer says he noticed his tree pile missing Monday morning.
“I went down to the loading area and noticed that the piles were depleted and there was fresh snow from Sunday and I could see the tracks.”
Hanauer said he saw his pile missing and tracks in the snow and says he figures the trees were stolen so someone could make money on them.
“I am convinced that these trees are probably for sale somewhere in the area at a low price,” Hanauer explained. “Nobody steals 75 to 100 trees for their personal use.”
The cost of the stolen trees is about $2,500 dollars.
He says it is lost money from his pocket and is disappointing since growing a tree does not happen overnight.
“These trees are on average 15 years old from the time the seed was planted. You work all those years only to have someone who thinks they should reap the benefit of all that hard work.”
While the Hanauer’s are known around town for their “Cut your own” or pre-cut Christmas tree sales this time of year, most of their business is wholesale, growing, selling and shipping large amounts.
This is not the first time that Hanauer’s have been victim to theft, but Dan says usually it is just one tree or a small number of trees.
“This is the biggest theft that I think we have had.”
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department continues to investigate.
