Grinch-like behavior sparks act of kindness at new Raleigh business

Organizers of The Great Raleigh Trolley, which gives trolley tours of Christmas lights in the area, learned Monday night that numerous displays were stolen from their celebrated Holiday Lights Tour North Pole attraction at Boylan Bridge Brewpub.

Santa discovered about $1,200 worth of inflatable decorations and lights were missing.

Zack Medford, owner of The Great Raleigh Trolley, said he is frustrated by the Grinch-like behavior.

"I went straight to Santa himself, and I said, 'Santa, what are we going to do about this?'" Medford said. "We see how much it hurts to lose our stuff. Think about people who wake up with nothing at all every single day."

In response to the theft, Medford said they are launching an act of kindness. The effort is called Blanket the City.

Through the end of January, The Great Raleigh Trolley will collect blankets, coats and hooded sweatshirts for Wake-Raleigh Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness.

"We figured when something negative like this happens, we can be upset about it and stomp your feet, or you can turn it into something positive," Medford said.

The Christmas light tours will continue through Dec. 30 -- it'll take a lot more than a few missing decorations to pull the plug on the Christmas spirit.