What a Grinch! Brazen thief is caught on camera stealing a Christmas tree and struggling to make off with it on his BICYCLE

  • Surveillance camera of an apartment building in Brasilia, Brazil, recorded the moment a man stole a Christmas tree from the lobby early Thursday 
  • The shocking incident took place a 2.20am when the brazen thief walked into the building and lifted the tree off the ground
  • It took him just a minute to pull off the robbery and ride off on his bicycle with the tree

A thief has been caught on camera stealing the holiday spirit from a building in central-western Brazil by snatching a Christmas tree and making off with it on a bicycle. 

The shocking incident was caught on surveillance video in Brasilia early Thursday around 2.20am when most tenants were asleep.

The suspect, who as of Friday remained on the run, calmly stations his bicycle outside the unattended lobby entrance and opens the glass door.

The real-life Grinch disconnected the tree's lighting and proceeds to lift the tree off the ground.

Surveillance footage from residential building in Brasilia, Brazil, shows the moment a man stationed his bicycle outside the entrance before stealing a Christmas tree

Surveillance footage from residential building in Brasilia, Brazil, shows the moment a man stationed his bicycle outside the entrance before stealing a Christmas tree

The building lobby was unattended when the thief opened the glass door open and stole the tree

The building lobby was unattended when the thief opened the glass door open and stole the tree

He then struggles to get on his bike while hanging on to the tree as it comes off its base along with a number of ornaments. He then pedals away. 

Building residents were said the theft left a dark cloud over the holiday season, according to Brazilian outlet G1

'It's a disrespect for the date and the people celebrating Christmas,' said Delsimar Silva Fagundes, a 56-year-old tenant.

The biker Grinch held on to the tree's trunk before he got on his bike and escaped

The biker Grinch held on to the tree's trunk before he got on his bike and escaped

The man somehow managed to maintain control of the bicycle while speeding off with the stolen Christmas tree

The man somehow managed to maintain control of the bicycle while speeding off with the stolen Christmas tree

 

 

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.