Is it just me, or do you find this an incredible waste of police manpower? The article appeared today in the TribLocal for Downers Grove.

Baby Jesus stolen twice from Downers Grove manger

Thieves have stolen two baby Jesus figurines from a nativity scene outside a Downers Grove business and the owner believes those responsible have a “grudge against Jesus.”

“There was a time and a place where you just didn’t mess with Jesus,” said Henry Schmidt, who owns both the manger scene and Moldtronics Inc., a high-end machining business in Downers Grove. “I’m going to put another (baby Jesus) up. I’m not giving up, I’m not afraid.”

Schmidt told police that the first baby Jesus figurine was stolen sometime last week from his business in the 700 block of Rogers Street. He later replaced it without giving much thought to the theft, police said.

But then sometime late Friday night or early Saturday morning a second Baby Jesus figurine was stolen, police said.

“At this point we have no suspects, no nothing,” said Sgt. Dave Bormann of the Downers Grove Police Department “We don’t know if it is a prank, or kids walking by taking him.”

Joseph, Mary, the three Wise Men and all of the other figures in the manger scene were left alone and remain unharmed.   The estimated value of the stolen figurines was about $60, according to a police report.

Schmidt told police he believed whoever was stealing the figurines has a “grudge against Jesus,” police said.

Bormann said police will be stepping up patrols in the area as a result of the thefts.

“One would hope that will prevent the theft of a third baby Jesus,” he said.

witnesses report seeing an elderly gentleman dressed in red and white…

Back last March, Nightline had a segment on “extreme couponing,” which basically sums up my approach to shopping.  Jill Cataldo was one of the people invited to shop with $50 to see just how much they could get.  She used a balanced, healthy choice to shopping, obviously not what the viewing public wants, ’cause it’s the other guy (Nathan of the ABC/Jello logo in his driveway) who got the tv show!  Yup!  TLC will premiere Extreme Couponing on December 29 at 8 pm ET/PT.

I should comment here that Nathan shops in a state/store where double and even triple coupons are common.  This makes a huge difference in your ability to stockpile for cheap.  Even items you don’t need/use/want are purchased for the overage.  rather like Hallmark tissue paper *cough, cough*

and i just ditched the dish…

I don’t know if you’ve seen this before; it was on the back cover of the Selling It section of the current Consumers Reports.   There seem to be some serious deficiencies not only in the school curriculum, but also in the proof-reading department.  Unless they actually are training sex trade workers…

The president of a company called “the Blue Waters Group” said the mistake was not made by the city or the schools. He said the ad was proofed by 4 people and the typo got by all of them.  which somehow makes it even sadder…

Wonder if this is a local hotel: