In custody: Cambridgeshire police lock up Elf on the Shelf
After terrorising homes for weeks, many will suggest it is no less than it deserves.
A Cambridgeshire police inspector has released this image of the Elf on the Shelf in custody.
And he invited beleaguered parents, battling to come up with new ways to hide the pesky little character each night, to use his picture to give themselves a well-earned night off.
Inspector Morris, from the Fenland neighbourhood team, wrote on the Fenland Cops Facebook page: “As we enter the last week before Christmas, many of you like me will no doubt be fed up of waking up in the middle of the night thinking Sh…… ‘Sugar I forgot the Elf’, then cursing yourself for ever agreeing to it!
“Alas, my gift to you is this image, feel free to use it and show your little ones that no Elf is immune from prosecution and there are consequences to their behaviour.
“Give yourself the night off and let your Elf spend the night in custody.
“Hang in there Fenland, we are nearly through it. Merry Christmas.”
Responding on Facebook, where the post earned hundreds of likes and shares, one commenter said: “Looking forward to seeing him move on to Whitemoor and serve his time for ruining every December evening for the last few years!”
For the uninitiated, the Elf on the Shelf story tells how Santa’s Scout Elves fly from homes to the North Pole every night in December in the run-up to Christmas to report to Santa if children have been behaving - or not.
When they return to your home, they find a new sneaky spot to hide in - but, in many homes, they cause all sorts of mischief.
The tradition has captivated children, keen to find out what trouble their little elves have caused overnight - and where they’ve hidden themselves.
But, as Inspector Morris warns, even elves can take things too far and find themselves on the wrong side of the law this Christmas.
They have been warned.