NEW YORK (Fortune) -- With the economy tanking, it may not be a surprise that nuisance crimes like petty theft and vandalism are on the rise. But even police departments are scratching their heads over the latest hot loot: Christmas trees.
In recent weeks, police across the country have seen an uptick in the theft of trees from commercial lots. In Baytown, Tex., cops caught a man earlier this month trying to take several holiday trees off a lot. In Portland, Ore., police nabbed a man last week dragging a stolen tree down the street around 3 a.m. Officials in Hillsborough County, Fla., are investigating a Christmas tree crime spree, with more than 20 stolen from one lot owner alone.
In that instance, 14 Fraser firs were swiped in the middle of the night on December 2; another eight were stolen about a week later. Dan Parker, who has owned the site for more than 50 years, says no trees were stolen from his site last year. In fact, the last time Parker had pilferers was when 40 were stolen in 1978 -- during a similar economic downturn.
My Christmas tree comes out of a box every year. I don't care what they're charging down at the tree lots.
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