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St. Cloud Christmas tree thief caught swipping trees outside convention center

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Nov 30, 2011 at 8:29 am

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - It could turn out to be an expensive Christmas tree for a man who said he couldn't afford one.

The River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud plans to seek restitution from the man who helped himself to one of the pine trees on its property. The theft happened Sunday along a busy street in St. Cloud. A police officer happened to be driving by and saw the man with the tree and a handsaw.

The man told the officer he had cut the tree at the request of his girlfriend since they couldn't afford one.

The tree theft isn't an isolated case. KARE-TV says the University of Minnesota treats its evergreens with skunk spray at Christmas time to ward off potential thieves.