Thieves target Tsawwassen golf course ahead of Christmas fundraising event

Staff at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course are scrambling after a theft was discovered weeks before an annual Christmas fundraiser.

The Grinch came early this year at the Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course, where a theft has left the community feeling incredibly disheartened.

General manager Sue Carlile told CTV News that her team discovered power boxes empty at the far end of the golf course.

She said Christmas lights, power boxes and a 90-metre-long cable, that was buried 45 centimetres deep, were stolen.

"Why in the world would they want to remove something like this that is just so lovely for a local community? It's unnecessary," she said.

An estimated $6,000 worth of materials were removed, according to Carlile.

The theft happened just weeks before the course's fourth annual Festival of Lights.

The establishment raises money every year for the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation through tree sponsorships.

Carlile said she's especially disappointed as they've dealt with similar incidents of theft in the past.

"The bottoms of some of these trees, the lights were removed a couple of years ago. We repurchased the lights. We attached them with zap straps," she explained.

"We thought we had this whole thing under control and intact, and to find this recent removal, which is also very costly, is really sad for the community and us," she continued.

Local resident Jim Green said he's also saddened by the incident as he looks forward to the annual event.

“I know I’m not happy with it, and I think anybody in this community you talk to would think the same thing," he said.

While the community is disappointed, they said this setback isn't going to stop them from hosting the event.

Carlile said she has crews working around the clock to ensure they have all the cable and lights replaced in time for the opening day on Nov. 25.