The Hunt Is on for the UK Thieves Who Were Caught on Camera Stealing 190 Christmas Trees

The grinch has apparently relocated to England and this time is selling stolen Christmas trees. Police are searching for several men who were caught on CCTV stealing nearly 200 Christmas trees worth 6,000 English pounds, or more than $9,000, from a shop in a Manchester suburb.

The men snuck into the Khawaja Brothers Mini Market on November 28 to load dozens of trees onto their truck and then returned in the following days to take more, reported the Guardian. They apparently did not realize that the minimarket had a surveillance camera that was recording them.

CCTV footage via the Guardian

The owner of the shop, Saqib Shabbir, told the Guardian that he was "heartbroken and disgusted" by the thieves' attempt to ruin the holiday for his customers. Shabbir said he borrowed money to replace the stolen trees so that families would still be able to enjoy Christmas.

"It has almost ruined my regular customers' Christmas," Shabbir told the Guardian. "I don't want the thieves to enjoy theirs. I don't want them to have a smile on their face at Christmas. I have kept on for the customers, kept smiling on for the customers but it has affected me."

"We were very well known in the local community," Shabbir remarked.

This is the first time in the 12 years of running the shop that something had been stolen, Shabir said. But, he added, "what goes around comes around."

The Greater Manchester Police released the CCTV footage along with a call for help from the community to catch the thieves, who are apparently now trying to sell the trees.

"The van has been spotted in Chorlton since, offering people Christmas trees," a spokesperson for the police said, according to the Telegraph. "If you are offered one to buy I would ask that you contact police immediately."