By Tim Binnall
Authorities in Wales issued a rather ominous warning to the public following a spate of incidents wherein Christmas gnomes mysteriously appeared in front of various homes throughout a village. The surprising words of caution were reportedly posted to social media by the South Flintshire branch of the North Wales Police Department on Monday morning. Featuring a photo of one of the innocent-looking dolls, they indicated that "we are aware of a report of individuals in the Broughton area leaving Christmas gnomes in residential front gardens." However, rather than dismissing the mysterious gnomes as merely the work of clever pranksters or bored teenagers, police offered a far more sinister reason for why they might be appearing on residents' front lawns.
The department warned that the delightful dolls may actually be a "calling card" used by would-be burglars. The miscreants, cops explained, later return to the scene "to see if the gnome is collected by the resident." An undisturbed doll, they said, is an indication that "the property is likely to be empty" and, thus, a tempting target for thieves. With that in mind, the department mused that "we would advise residents to be vigilant" and to report any strange activity, gnome-related or not, to police.