ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque woman claims she’s the victim of porch pirates who made off with a special decoration that is meaningful to her family this time of year. Judi Phillips said her artificial Christmas tree was more than just any tree. She bought it 16 years ago in honor of her mother who passed away that year just weeks before Christmas. 

Phillips said she had her tree on her porch outside her home in downtown, near Roma and Luna, since the start of the month. She noticed it was gone last Monday.

Phillips said she’s been putting the three-foot artificial tree with lights on it on her porch over the holidays for years, and never had any problems. She said it reminds her of her late mother, who loved celebrating Christmas with the family.

“It made me angry and then really sad because this was one of the last physical things that I had with my mom, that I connected with my mother. And so it was more than me than just this artificial Christmas tree,” said Phillips.

She said she doesn’t have any pictures or surveillance video of the crime taking place. Phillips said she plans on installing video cameras on her porch moving forward and said she doesn’t have intentions of replacing the tree just yet.   If you have any information on the tree, you can message Phillips on her Facebook page.

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