The Grinch once stole Christmas. And sometime early yesterday morning, another thief stole two large Christmas wreaths from outside two Plympton Street bookstores.

Louisa Solano, owner of the Grolier Poetry Book Shop Inc., 6 Plympton St., said she hung a 48-inch wreath valued at $250 outside her store earlier this week. She went home at 10 p.m. Thursday, and the wreath was nowhere to be seen when she returned at 8 a.m. yesterday.

"I can't believe someone would do it," Solano said. "It represents four 10-hour days of revenue for me."

Cambridge Police officials said they suspect the incident was a student prank, although they added they do not yet have suspects.

Both the Harvard Lampoon and the A.D. final club had late-night parties that lasted until early yesterday morning, according to a Harvard University Police officer.

The A.D. is directly across the street from Grolier's. Bands of students were seen outside the club as late as 2:15 a.m. yesterday.

Solano said her wreath was quite heavy and required the help of two grown men, standing upon ladders, to assemble.

Solano, who has owned Grolier's since 1973, said the robbery obliterated all of her "trust in the community."

A 24-inch wreath worth $50, which was hanging in the doorway of the Starr Book Shop, 29 Plympton St., was also stolen.

"It's an annual event. We got stricken by what I call the American Christmas spirit," a Starr employee said.