No Breaks In Missing Santa Suit Case

Santa recently posed for photos without his 50-inch chest size, vivid red suit.

The suit went missing earlier this month while workers for Cat Angel Network -- a nonprofit, all volunteer, no-kill cat rescue organization based in Stowe -- prepared for a fund-raiser .

Despite the missing suit, the fund-raiser was held last and returns this weekend.

"We had a decent turnout but still no word of the costume," said Cat Angel Network volunteer Laura Schwartz. "I think there may be lots of places doing Santa pet photos these days, as our numbers are a bit down."

The Cat Angel workers were at the Adoption Center between 7 and 8:45 p.m. Dec. 2 to create a backdrop for the annual photo event when a shopping cart, filled with boxes that held Saint Nick's outfit and several accessories such as belts, eyeglasses and wigs, disappeared.

"Someone walked off with it," said Schwartz shortly after the theft. "We had this one specially made for some of the volunteers ... It's going to swim on most people ... but it's perfect for Santa."

The theft seriously impacts the group's annual fund-raiser, which typically earns a couple thousand dollars per season, Schwartz said.

Money raised for Cat Angel Network helps care for roughly 600 rescued felines.

Now, the Cat Angel Network will make do with remaining regular sized costumes PetSmart provides, she said.

Anyone with information on the missing Santa gear is asked to e-mail CMCLaura@aol.com.

The Cat group offers a photo reward for the return of its Santa stuff.

"Cat Angel Network would be delighted to have these returned and will be happy to take photos of your (pet or pets) with Santa, free of charge," Schwartz said.

The photo event will be at Pottstown PetSmart from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. December 17 and 18.

"Cat Angel Network hopes people will come out in great numbers with their cats, dogs, pot-belly pigs, snakes, ferrets, rats, birds, monkeys and more," she said.

Editor's note: This story was updated Dec. 15.