NATCHEZ &045;&045; Is the Grinch loose in Natchez? Edwina Petersen and some of the clients of the Senior Citizens Center think so.

He didn’t steal Christmas, but he has taken hours of daily pleasure from visitors to the center by taking away the one television set there.

&uot;We have an empty spot where the TV was,&uot; Petersen, senior program coordinator at the center, said Monday. &uot;When I got here at 6 o’clock this morning, the window to the recreation room was open. The door was still locked. But the TV was gone.&uot;

Among center visitors who come daily, watching television has been a pleasure, Petersen said. They enjoy a variety of programs, including game shows, news, weather and soap operas.

John Dumas, 61, is one of those who likes to sit in one of the recliners and watch &uot;The Price is Right.&uot; He was disappointed on Monday.

&uot;That’s just terrible,&uot; he said. &uot;Who would have thought someone would come and take the TV out?

James Huff, 73, said it was like &uot;stealing from the church. Whoever did this is low down and trashy.&uot;

Huff said the recreation room includes many games, such as checkers and dominoes, and has a pool table, too.

&uot;This is the best organization for seniors in Adams County. There are all kinds of games and it’s a place to eat, too. And then there’s all the fellowship that goes with it,&uot; Huff said.

&uot;It was not a big TV,&uot; she said. &uot;Someone had donated it to the center last year.&uot;

Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said the department is investigating the missing television set as a burglary although no evidence has been found of forced entry into the building.

&uot;It was either someone who had a key or someone able to open a window without damaging it,&uot; Mullins said.

Nothing else is missing, Petersen said. &uot;We’ve looked around. All the other rooms were locked. Everything else is in place.&uot;