"I was disappointed at how sparse it looked after all my work," says Dean.
"I had a closer look and found two banks of baubles weren't working.
"Two had been disconnected, the ropes cut and they were lying on the ground.
"Another two were missing completely, along with power connector cables."
Dean says it is a pretty mean and selfish act to ruin the tree for a bit of fun.
He says the lights require special power supplies, so whoever took them isn't likely to be able to use them.
"It is more likely they'll try and run the lights and they'll blow," he says.
"Also, when the tree is lit there is live power, so climbing into the wiring can be dangerous.
"There are warning signs about live wires on the tree.
"I'm hoping it was just a bit of high-spirited 'fun' and the culprits will return the missing baubles," says Dean.
The lights in the tree have been funded by community groups, businesses and individual sponsors for several years, notably Te Awamutu Community Board and Te Awamutu Rose Trust, plus local businesses have donated time to help maintain the tree.
This year Dean has undertaken all the repair and installation work alone.
Each bauble is worth about $250 for lights, frame, connectors and time to build.
Dean says they are made to order, and with Covid there is already a shortage of the imported lights through the Auckland supplier, let alone time or funds to make new baubles.
The best outcome would be for the baubles to be returned to Te Awamutu police, Te Awamutu Courier, Waipā District Council or Te Awamutu i-Site so they can be reinstalled.
