LEWISTON – It wouldn’t be Christmas without the Grinch-like behavior.

A Lewiston woman is lamenting the loss of a manmade Christmas tree, a gift from her now-deceased father-in-law, which was stolen from her yard this week.

“My father-in-law made it for me before he died,” said Arlene Rousseau. “It’s the one thing I had left of him.”

The tree was constructed of a disc surrounding an upright pole and was adorned with hanging lights and a star on top. The tree vanished from her yard at 345 Sabattus St. sometime early Thursday morning.

Rousseau and her husband Gary were reviewing footage from a security camera at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center across the street. The couple hopes that the thief will return the tree or that the public might help in locating it.

Arlene asked that anyone with information call her at 689-4569.

It’s not the first time the Rousseaus have been targeted by holiday thieves. In recent years, they’ve also had Halloween decorations go missing, Arlene said.

“I don’t understand how people can be so cruel to others,” she said, “especially at this time of year.”