The Grinch Arrested in Florida for “Lurking” and Pretending to Be Santa, Police Say

In an attempt at a cheeky Facebook post, Escambia County Sheriff’s Department in the Florida panhandle posted last week that they’d arrested the Dr. Seuss character The Grinch ahead of the Christmas holiday. Featuring a series of photos of someone in a Grinch costume being apprehended and then placed in the back of a police car, the post reads: “We got him! Christmas has been saved! Rudolph found the Grinch lurking in a parking lot dressed as Santa this morning and called us immediately. He is being held without bond until December 26th. We hope he thinks through his actions, and his heart will grow three sizes. Thank you for the multiple leads we received during this search. Merry Christmas!” You an see the full post below.

The post appeared to mostly be a hit with locals however, with one user writing: “Love y’all’s sense of humor. Thank you all for your service. Stay safe. Merry Christmas ESCO and your families.” Some were less convinced in the need to arrest the Grinch with one commenter adding: “Okay but hear me out. He’s been bullied since he was a child by those very people. AND The Who’s continue to violate the noise ordinance.” Yet another person added, “I knew Rudolph was a narc,” with one person asking the police to arrest a different fiction character, “Now someone should arrest “Jack Frost” from Santa Clause 3 movie.”

Here’s the problem though, beyond how much of a waste of time this is for everyone involved, this is nonsense if you’ve actually read the Grinch story or seen the television special or watched any of the movies. The Grinch not only returns all of the things he steals from Whoville back to where it all went by the end of the narrative but it’s the action of seeing how Christmas is not a holiday about things, it’s about how it makes you feel inside while celebrating with friends and family that causes his heart to grow three sizes. Under no circumstances would the Grinch actually be able to learn this lesson from inside a jail cell, nor would being a prisoner cause his heart to grow.

There largely seems to be a cultural obsession with The Grinch as an icon of evil, with his character development seemingly forgotten by everyone that chooses to bring him to life for the sake of a photo-op.

Also, walking through a parking lot dressed as Santa isn’t a crime.

Like the above Sheriff’s department though we’re just having a bit of fun with all of this, so please settle down.