Stolen Santa returned to Indiana man with note, $100

UNIONVILLE, Ind. -- A southern Indiana man has gotten an early Christmas gift: A 16-foot-tall inflatable Santa Claus stolen from his yard has been returned with $100 and a note of apology.

Jason McClaren tells The Herald-Times that someone returned the deflated Santa to his yard early Saturday in a trash bag that also contained the money and note.

He says the anonymous note makes it clear that the person who returned the Santa wasn't the thief who took it and two 6-foot tall penguins last week. The penguin decorations are still missing.

The typed note states: "Returning your property is the right thing to do, and apologies for the thief who took it in the first place."

McClaren says he plans to use the $100 to buy more decorations.