Beware of Rabid Gnomes

The vacuum cleaner recently turned off on me whilst vacuuming.  A check of the manual revealed that this was likely the thermal cut-off (as I hadn't tripped any breakers), and was probably caused by a blockage in the hose.

So, the hose gets popped off, and examined.  Sure enough, there's a blockage in it — dead leaves, dirt, and a large chunk of wood.  While I understand the leaves and dirt (having a fair number of plants), the wood confuses me.  My guess is that at night, the elves sneak into the apartment, steal the vacuum cleaner, and use it to tidy up their woodland abodes.

Anyone know where I can find a decent trap with which to catch the fair folk?

You know, I really need to get around to creating a "General Silliness" category.