By Mike Finney

HARRINGTON — The Grinch, also known as Jason Sweeney, was caught by the Harrington Police Department at around 5 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Police said they allegedly caught The Grinch sneaking into houses and taking Christmas presents, pilfering trees and stealing Who Hash and Roast Beast, which are said to be two of his favorite delicacies.

Feeling a sense of charity during the holiday season, Santa Claus (Joshua Sweeney) and Rudolph (Jose Arroyo) came to The Grinch’s rescue and bailed him out.

The trio of motorcycle riders traditionally bring joy up and down Delaware as they zoom around dressed as the beloved Christmas characters.

The Kent County-based group is best known as “I Saw the Grinch Chasing Santa,” which has brought smiles to the faces of both young and old the past four years throughout the state.

“We started when COVID became a real thing, where everything was shut down. People were miserable, like all our friends were miserable, and Josh (Sweeney) jokingly said to me one day, ‘Why don’t we dress as The Grinch and Santa and ride our bikes?’” Jason Sweeney said. “And my response was, ‘You know, that’s a crazy idea. Let’s do it.’”

The Grinch was reportedly released by Harrington police on his own recognizanceChristmas Eve and sentenced to eight days of ringing the bell at Salvation Army buckets outside of department stores next Christmas.

For the Sweeney brothers and Mr. Arroyo, the magic of the Christmas season never gets old. Jason said he’s not sure who gets the biggest rev out of their unique visits — the children or the adults.

“Kids aren’t sure what to think. Everybody sees Santa Claus on the firetrucks,” he said. “That’s become expected every year, but you never see Santa on a bike, and you surely don’t see The Grinch on a bike, and we have a Max (Grinch’s dog), and we have a reindeer.

“I’m not sure whose expressions are better, the kids’ or the adults’. For the kids, yeah, there’s joy in it, but to see an adult smile like that and remember what Christmas was to them when they were little, that’s a different feeling.”

Editor’s note: An article chronicling the annual holiday adventures of the “I Saw the Grinch Chasing Santa” group appeared Dec. 3 in the Daily State News.