Pumpkin stolen from Woburn family, reappears carved

WOBURN, Mass. (WHDH) --There was an early case of "trick or treat" in Woburn when someone stole a family’s pumpkin, and then it reappeared looking a little different.

Halloween's a month away, but the tricks are already starting in Woburn. Liz Pacek has her own great pumpkin caper on her hands.

“We bought our pumpkin early end of September on a Friday and early Sunday morning it went missing,” Pacek said.

Pacek didn't suspect ghouls or goblins -- she chalked the disappearing act up to some Halloween mischief.

“We heard some noise outside and poor Chloe here was barking to alert us, but we rolled over and told her to be quiet,” Pacek said.

Seven-pound Chloe just knew something was up with the 35-pound pumpkin, but her barking fell on deaf ears. The mystery thickened when the pumpkin -- which was last seen on the lawn -- Seemingly reappeared out of thin air, fully carved with a smile that wasn't giving anything away.

“We don't know who do it or what the story is behind it but they did a great job and I want to thank them because that’s a lot of work,” said Pacek. “Even put a candle in it -- all set to be lit.”

Pacek doesn't mind the pumpkin prank, and she promises to heed Chloe’s warnings in the future.

“It definitely started out as a trick and ended as a nice Halloween treat at the end,” Pacek said.

Pacek has a second mystery on her hands: how to now get the pumpkin to last until Halloween so the trick or treaters can all enjoy this trick.