The Summer Crime Wave: Grocery Store Ice Cream Lockdowns and Seasonal True Crime

We dive into the darker—and sometimes quirkier—side of the dog days of summer: crime. We discuss the strange lengths people are going to for summer treats, highlighting the bizarre new trend of ice cream being locked up at grocery stores to prevent theft. This new level of security for frozen desserts is a truly diabolical twist that has us questioning everything. Join us for a fun, casual episode discussing these weird, summer-related crime stories and the general chaos that comes with the heat.

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TRANSCRIPT:

[00:00:00] Hey guys, and welcome to the Moms and Mysteries podcast, a True Crime podcast featuring myself, Mandy, and my dear friend Melissa. Hi, Melissa. Hi, Mandy, how are you? I am doing well. How are you? I am doing good. I'm coming to you from my closet, um, live from the closet. Yeah, exactly. I hate this weather. Okay.

I'm not gonna talk about weather anymore, but it's this storm stuff where it's like, yes, it, I could get all set up in the other room, but then that. If it starts raining, I have to move in here. So now I'm just cramped in the closet. Um, but yeah, things are going well. My anniversary's today. Oh my goodness.

Happy anniversary. Yeah, thank you. 18 years. 18, yeah. We're getting Chipotle for dinner. I love that for you. Actually. That sounds perfect. I, uh, it really is. It's so. What One thing I love about being in a long-term marriage is how simple things get, like at anniversary times and stuff, nothing makes me happier than just going for like a quick like fast food meal or Chipotle or [00:01:00] something along those lines, and like eating ice cream.

From the grocery store, like at home. Like I don't really wanna go out and do anything crazy. No. I just wanna relax and like, I want my kids, no, I don't wanna do it. To be in their rooms playing video games all night. Like, that's perfect for me. I don't care about anything else. I no, I, I convinced my husband to watch like a Netflix show with me and that's gonna be the planned.

Yeah. And um, and I love it. I love that for me. I do. I love that for you too. Yes. Happy anniversary. Well, thank you. My husband and I. Have an anniversary next month in July. Not a wedding anniversary, but it will be the, our anniversary of being together for 20 years. So that's, that's crazy. Crazy. Yeah.

Because yeah, our 20 year together is, oh, it's later this year, but yeah. Yeah. That is crazy. Crazy. Yeah. You're a baby, so are you. In a nice way. In a nice way. You're a baby. Um, it just feels like we're babies. Yes. And, uh, not sitting here cramped in this closet, but Mandy, do you [00:02:00] wanna tell the people what we're doing today?

Of course. So today we are doing something a little bit different and it's something we would like to call summer shenanigans, crimes of the season. Terms of the summer season? Yes. Yes. Uh, yeah. So we're gonna share, uh, several real crimes that happened in these quintessential summer spots, like beaches or ice cream shops and campgrounds.

These are really more quirky than creepy. So not so much summer slasher, but more like summer swipers. I like that. Me too. So we have several stories from across the country and even a few international ones to share, and we're gonna get right into it. I think we're gonna start off with a story from you, Melissa, from the beach crimes segment.

Ah, the beach stand between your toes. We've got waves crashing and apparently thieves eyeing your wallet while you're catching waves. Mandy, quick question. When you go to the beach, I don't know if we should be sharing this, but the beach, I go to New Smyrna. [00:03:00] I've never locked anything up. I leave my stuff sitting there.

If I go into the water. Same. It just stays. Like I've never even had that thought to, uh, put my stuff, which is very nice because I know it's not always like that. But reading these stories, I am even more thankful for our little, our little smyrna area. Yeah. I don't ever, uh, put my stuff away. I will go take a walk and leave my everything sitting right in with all my stuff.

I don't, I just don't even, and I'm a worrier and I'm still like, whatever. What am I gonna do? Carry it. That comes into play later. So our first case takes us, takes us to Newport Beach, California, where just a few months ago, a local filmmaker became an unexpected detective. According to the LA Times, this filmmaker exposed an entire theft ring that was specifically targeting surfers along Southern California beaches.

These thieves had a pretty clever system. They'd wait until surfers [00:04:00] paddled out to the waves, then swoop in to steal their wallets, their phones and car keys, all from their unattended belongings. This is not a follow these ideas, by the way. We're not, we're trying not to teach people, but this is what happened, and the filmmaker actually caught them on camera and turned the footage over to the police, which.

I mean, how often does that happen? I have seen, a few years ago, you might have seen it too, there was a lady on the news and she like was being confronted for stealing people's stuff at the beach and she like kind of lost her mind and she was like, this is mine. This is mine. Like she. Stuck to that story, and it was not true at all.

Yeah, I've never been scared of having my stuff stolen at the beach, and I've never had anything stolen at the beach and knock on wood. So hopefully I will keep that good fortune for the rest of my life. I know, I know. It's a privilege. For sure, for sure. All right. Our next story is from literally not that long ago.

It's from May, 2025, and it is about a woman in Seal Beach, [00:05:00] California who was arrested for wait for it, stealing flowers. I feel like I could actually be charged with a crime such as stealing flowers legitimately so. And I will explain myself. Can't wait after I get done. Wait. Telling this story, so KTLA reported that the Seal Beach Police Department has implemented a zero tolerance tolerance policy for retail theft.

And that includes even minor items such as flowers. They actually posted about the arrest on social media, and they showed the woman being led away in handcuffs, which sparked a huge debate online about. Kind of like, is this over the top? Is this too much for a petty theft? Yeah. For this woman to be hold away in handcuffs.

The report didn't specify where exactly the flowers were taken from, but it kind of does make you wonder about the value of what was stolen versus the resources that were spent to arrest this woman. And it's kind of like that saying though, don't pick the flowers unless you're ready to face the consequences.

Which isn't actually a saying, but. It should, it should be. Well now [00:06:00] tell us your story because it sounds like it should be a saying. Yeah, so I think I've mentioned on the show a couple times that my husband has recently gotten like very into plants and like he's become Yeah, a plant guy and we've been just acquiring different plants and trees and different things all season, you know, all spring season and now into summer.

And um, that's been going really well. But every time we go somewhere like a gardens or anything uhhuh and I see a plant that I like or that like could be. Transplanted into my yard. Like if you take a clipping or you like tick it off, but like there are places that will. Prosecute you for doing that.

'cause it's technically really, yeah. Wait, wait. So you're in like a flower, like a, a like, like a real place that sells that and then you're thinking of cutting off of the edge. You don't even don even have to sell it. I'm just talking about if it's like a pretty bush or flower or plant or something at like a place that I'm at and I'm like, I'll quickly like Google it and be like, yeah, can I grow?

Will this grow from a [00:07:00] clipping? Right. And I'm taking a clipping and taking it home. Okay. Instead of going, I mean buying the plant myself, but it is technical. Left so I could see getting arrested for stealing flowers. Yeah. Yeah. I know somebody else in my life who can't IGN to save her life and has done that in front of me, just clipped off little clippings at a place.

But I, to me, okay, if it was at the store and you're like, oh, I like this one, and you cut it off, I feel like that's stealing. You see it out in the wild. It's, it's wild. What do you want me to do Out in the wild? It's here, out in the wild is one thing, but I'm talking about What about if you see this at like a theme park and it's part of their landscaping?

Like are you allowed to clip off of it? Honestly, I'm just asking for a friend in that situation. I've never done that. Just an example. Those places are so expensive. So I think you should, everyone should get a free clipping. Yes. On their way out. Everyone picked the flower they like. No, I totally agree. Um, so my next story is from June of 2024, the press [00:08:00] telegram reported that a truck packed with camping gear and personal essentials for A-Y-M-C-A summer camp was stolen in downtown Long Beach.

And this happens right before these teens are scheduled to leave for Camp Mandy. Did you ever go to any summer camps? Only once. Yeah. Only once I was in the fifth grade. Mm-hmm. And I don't think it was a, it was not an experience that I care to repeat. Okay. Was it like the whole summer or a week? Or a weekend?

I think it was like two weeks. Okay. That's a long time in fifth grade. Yeah, it was a long time. Um, I did, we had church camps like every year or whatever, but it would be like multiple ones. And I just remember one time finding out who I was in a room with and calling my mom every night collect to cry about it.

She'd be like, could you just call after eight o'clock? It's cheaper than the summer camp can be great. It, it wasn't always so great for me or Mandy. But learning that all their gear has been stolen [00:09:00] is crazy. But the good news is that the community really rallied around them hearing that this stuff had been stolen and the article mentioned that local businesses and even individuals dot donated replacement gear, so the trip could still happen.

Oh. And so, yeah, so it's like worst of people. Best of people. I like stories like that. I mean, I don't like worst of stories, but it's a good best of Yeah. No, that's very nice and very generous. Yes. All right, next story. So according to WHYY, I don't know what that stands for. It might be a news outlet. Up, I hopes.

Just a question up. I hope it's just a question to why in February of this year, 2025, the Bethany Beach police chief and captain in Delaware were investigated for colluding to steal town money by falsely claiming overtime pay during the busy summer season. So the chief was already on paid leave for get this, a drunk driving arrest chief.

Oh, of police. Okay. Mm-hmm. Uh, arrested for DUI [00:10:00] when this investigation had started and so. Obviously that's not exactly the model behavior that you want from one of your top law enforcement officials. Uh, they allegedly stole about $150,000 in fraudulent overtime claims as well, which that's hundred $50,000 is like not chump change.

That's no, for one season. For a summer season. That's wild. No. Yeah, that really is. That's, yeah, that's a lot of ice cream cones and a lot of beach passes, especially if you're from central Florida where a beach pass for a. Day, other than a county resident costs like a hundred dollars. Now. It's insane.

Where? Where is that? It's crazy. It's not a hundred, but it feels like it. Okay, okay. I've seen 20, and that one's still difficult for me. So this is the last one in the beach part, but we still have a lot more to get into. So in June of 2024, Hawaii News now reported that the Honolulu Police Department sparked controversy by suggesting that their beach goers bring their valuables into the water with them to prevent.

[00:11:00] Theft. Say what? I mean, I have like a water bag, you know, like everybody being around here, you have like one small, one small bag that you know Right. You don't want stuff to get wet. Like my son's medicine, stuff like that. But to just, can you imagine just walking out into the water with like a waterproof purse?

Just a backpack on her? Yeah. Like you would drown. I'm sorry. That's crazy. So anyway, uh, one beach, uh, one beach goer was quoted as saying, I think they're crazy. There is no way I would put my stuff in the water with me. Which I feel like they didn't even give us a name because everyone said that. Right.

But imagine swimming in, like you're, you're in the water. You get hit by a wave, your fanny pack. Waterproof fanny plaque flies off. And now not only are you worrying about like getting up and you know, not being knocked down again, but you're worrying about your credit cards and then someone probably stealing your identity or the Bethany Beach [00:12:00] Police coming in, taking in, uh, claiming overtime for more work.

Um, but obviously the article does mention that in Waikiki Beach. Um, there's a lot of theft that's been increasing, so it is a real problem. So I can understand why they're like, I don't know what to tell you either don't bring yourself to the beach or go in the water and they suggested the water. So, um, there's probably a better solution if anyone has one.

Please let us and Hawaii News now, now, and Mandy, we have more to get into after a quick break to your word from this week's sponsors. And now back to the episode. Welcome back. Before we took the break, we told a few different stories about beach crimes that have happened across the country, and some of those were very interesting.

I'm actually surprised, Melissa, that we didn't have any standout Florida man beach crimes in that last segment. If I'm being honest, I think I did keep a couple Florida stories in here, but you [00:13:00] know, sometimes I just wanna give us a pass. Sometimes we need it. I appreciate that. Mm-hmm. I appreciate that so much.

Okay. On to. Believe it or not, we can do a whole segment on this. Yeah. Ice cream shop crimes. This is a particularly interesting topic for me. My very first job, I think I've even mentioned, uh, on the podcast was at an ice cream parlor when I was 15. I got that job and I absolutely loved it. I'm so glad That was my first job.

Like I'm just happy. That's part of my. Yeah, so now we're moving from the Sandy shores into these sweet, sweet shops, the ice cream parlors. Um, but our first case might be my favorite one out of this entire episode. It involves a furry criminal. Sweet tooth. So just last week, CBS Sacramento reported that a bear broke into a North Lake Tahoe, uh, ice cream shop and stole a three gallon tub of ice cream.

This report didn't specify what flavor it was, but it probably wasn't vanilla because we all know bears go for the premium [00:14:00] flavors. The shop owner identified as Moxley mentioned that while the bears haven't been necessarily aggressive, she is worried about the increasing bear activity in the area.

Melissa, do you remember when we learned about bears and hibernation and we were pretty ignorant about that topic? Like this wasn't in grade school. This was last year? This year. It could have been this year. It could have been time. We is. A mistake may yes. We may or may not have believed that when bears hibernate, they literally just lay down and sleep for months at a time.

That's, and they live off of the food in their stomachs. Yeah. I thought they ate like a really big meal. Yeah. So in this situation, that's exactly what I pictured these bears just eating ice cream until three gallons of ice cream. They're literally just so full. They're happy, their tummy is full of sweet treat, and then they just like lay down and take a very, very long nap.

Yeah. I could easily sleep three days if I had three. Three gallons of ice cream gallon. Yeah. Yeah. [00:15:00] All right, so in March of 2025, there is a new ice cream, I guess thing that went viral on social media. Don't pay attention to this, don't do this. It's, please don't let this be a thing anymore. But at Pop Pop's Italian Ice in Albuquerque, they became the victim of thieves looking to snatch the sweet treats.

They did not steal money. So these weren't people trying to steal money, but they would steal the ice cream. The flavor actually had gone viral on TikTok or Instagram and suddenly everyone had to have it. Just buy it. Just buy it. I don't get it. Why do you have to steal it? Yeah. And so when the shop wasn't able to keep up with the demand, some people decided to take matters into their own hand and they didn't specify if they were stealing it to resell.

'cause when it is a viral thing, I guess you could. I'm not buying ice cream off of stuff. Right. But I have bought it from the ice cream man. He randomly comes through my neighborhood, bought it from. But if the company who makes it can't keep up with the demand, like how is stealing what they have even gonna like, why would you [00:16:00] think they would have a lot of it to steal if they can't?

Doesn't, I don't get it. It makes no sense. No. It doesn't at all. But you know what it does remind me of, remember a few years ago when there was like the Chick-fil-A versus Popeye's, and people were like going crazy. Somebody got shot a hundred percent. I'm not making that up, but I remember it being like, all of a sudden you couldn't get a sick chicken sandwich because yes, people were fighting over who?

I don't know. So anyway, I, I don't like viral things like this. 'cause it doesn't, me either. It doesn't really tend to do anything good. Yeah, no, totally agree. Our next two cases actually have something in common, and that is that they both involve ice cream shops that were forced to close because Thieves stole parts of their air conditioning systems, which I imagine is pretty important in an ice cream shop.

It feels like the most important. Yeah. Yeah. So in June of 2024, it was reported that an ice cream shop in Kentucky had to close during peak season after thieves tore apart their air conditioning unit to steal. The copper wire. And similarly, in July of [00:17:00] 2024, block Club Chicago reported that Ohana Ice and treats in Beverly also had to close after thieves stole 15 to 20 feet of copper piping from their air conditioning units during a heat wave.

So these thefts are like, as I said, particularly cruel because they target businesses during the busiest season. And of course, ice cream shops do make most of their annual revenue during the summer months. If they're stealing the copper, this might be worth a couple hundred dollars, you know, whatever they're gonna sell it the copper wire for, but.

It of course causes thousands of dollars in damage for the business, and then they have to close until they can get it taken care of. So you're talking about not only damage, but also the loss of revenue for that business. Yeah. And with so many of these people, you know, these types of shops being these mom and pop stores, like the one, uh, the ice cream shop I worked at was just owned by a man, a man and his wife, and they had two kids.

You know, it just really kind of stinks for them to lose so much. Yeah, and think of something like somewhere like Chicago. If you are, I can't imagine you want to eat ice cream [00:18:00] year round in Chicago, like down here. Yeah. Ice cream shops. They stay hopping, but I can't imagine in Chicago, but I, I always think this when hurricanes come, and by the way, we just kicked off hurricane season a couple days ago, so you're gonna hear a lot about that from me.

But, uh, when a hurricane comes through, they're always interviewing like a. Ice cream shops, uh, people like that because they're like, what do you do? 'cause everything has to be refrigerated, obviously, and everything's so sensitive. And it's these mom and pop stores. So, my gosh, stop. Yeah. Stop stealing their copper wire.

Literally a hundred dollars. That's all you get out of it. Like that's insane to me. It's not worth the risk of being arrested. Like, no, it's crazy. So, ugh. Okay, so now we are going to move to lake crimes. Mandy, we have a ton of lakes here in central Florida. I actually cannot even believe how many lakes we have and apparently.

You know, lakes are a hotspot for boat theft. Our first lake crime takes us across the pond [00:19:00] to the uk. Hi guys. And in August of 2024, the BBC reported that thieves stole 10 powerboat engines from boats moored on Wimble Ball Lake and Exmore. That sounds like fake words. Wimble Ball Lake and Ex Smart Boat engines are of course really expensive and pretty easy to sell.

So making. This makes it a really common target for someone. They didn't mention if the thieves were caught, but since we do love a happy ending, let's say they did, and they were very remorseful and everyone lived happily ever after. Perfect. In July of 2024, the BBC reported that a man from Bristol was arrested for stealing a high value boat from bonus on Windermere in the Lake District.

So the Lake District is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in England. I honestly can't imagine stealing a boat from there because it's not exactly inconspicuous. It's not like you can just put a boat in your pocket and walk away with it. So this article also mentioned that the boat was subsequently located, but they didn't give [00:20:00] details on exactly how they tracked it down.

I can't imagine stealing a boat. I can't imagine stealing a car or a boat, but like, especially a boat, like how do you, how can you steal a boat and conceal that you have this stolen boat? I don't know. And yeah, it feels like pretty, and like, what if it has a weird name on the side of it? You are gonna change the name.

It's not gonna be my favorite boat name is, uh, that's what C said. Uh, SEA. I love that. Yeah, that's a fun one. Um, so I don't know what the idea was there exactly, but. Best of luck to you, I guess. Um, so in June of 2023, cottage Life reported that two men in Barry Ontario attempted to steal a boat and then jumped into the lake to swim away from authorities when they were get going to be caught.

Okay. Mandy, I'm just gonna give you a quick question. I know I didn't prepare you for a quiz, but how do you think that went when two men jumped in the water to get away from cops? Uh, and that was like their whole idea, not well. [00:21:00] Not well, they did not get very far. They were arrested shortly after entering the water.

So not only are you going to jail now, you jail with. Lake stuff on you. Yeah. Oh, algae and amoebas and, I don't know, fish poop. There's a lot. Turns out that, uh, swimming away from the police is not really an effective escape strategy. Mandy, I remember we had something like this. Uh, you and I were meeting at Chick-fil-A or something, and I remember like seeing all these, I don't know, I just ended up finding out that like they were police officers were around this lake.

Come to find out somebody had done something and they were in the lake. Oh, okay. Yeah. Always fun. So there's your Florida story, and actually this week we'll go back to Florida. Grady Judd. Um, he had a story, and I don't know actually if it was this week where I just saw it this week, is one of those that like just sticks in your head.

About a guy who was trying to get away from police in, is he in Po. Polk [00:22:00] County, right? Yeah. And he said the guy decided to get in the water and there were gators and police shooting and one of those things were like everything was going wrong. And he's like, he, he didn't get very far. So Yeah, Florida, it's just gators and likes.

So maybe don't try to do that here. That's like so stupid. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. All right, so just this week, hometown Source reported that a fishing boat and a generator were stolen from a pole barn near a lake in Elk River, Minnesota. What even is a pole barn? Melissa, do you have an explanation? Yes, I do actually, and I only know this because my parents have one they're putting in, I think it's where electricity and stuff goes.

'cause they have, um, like an old rv and they were trying to. Do something. So it has to do with, okay with, it's either electricity or shelter. Okay. One of the two. Well, that really narrows it down. Um, so. This story is just, you know, involving a more typical theft, someone breaking into a [00:23:00] storage building to steal valuable equipment during fishing season.

The article didn't mention any suspects or unusual circumstances, but it's a reminder that even in small towns, property crime still happens. They really do. My parents live out in the middle of nowhere and a long time ago or a few years ago, somebody like came down their driveway to take something out.

You have to know where they live to go do it. It was obviously somebody casing the neighborhood. That must have been somebody living in the neighborhood. 'cause I don't know how you found it otherwise. I just honestly would be so mad if someone stole something like that from me. Oh yeah. Also, I'm not surprised, um, that your reaction might bew mad.

So in May of 2025, boot Magazine reported that, uh, boat theft in this area of Germany increased significantly with 198 cases registered during the summer boating season 198. That goes back to your point about like, where are you putting these, right? So the article mentioned the thieves mostly targeted [00:24:00] boats that could be easily transported, which.

Yeah. Is there a black market for boats? I don't know. There is. I should look into it. I mean not, yeah, I don't wanna look into it too hard. Yeah. I don't wanna be flagged. No, I know when I was, uh, a kid, my dad got a, like two person boat. It was like a speedboat. Tell me why that made any sense, um, for a father of three to have this, but only one person could ride with him.

And I just remember going through like the one lake in Tallahassee that's dried up, lake Jackson and you. Driving so fast in this speeding bullet really. And the one mirror it had shattering. Um, yeah. And, uh, yeah. So anyway, the, that's when I picture like what kind of boats people are stealing, I'm thinking something like that, you can get away.

If I stole a boat, it'd be a yacht and I wouldn't get very far. But that's what either I'm not very good at driving a boat, so I wouldn't. Be a great boat thief. I look like you'd be like, hold on, hold on. Let me get out of [00:25:00] here. Let me get out of here. Just give me a ten second head start. I just need to turn around serious.

I wanna need more than 10 seconds. Turn around five minutes, turn around and count to a hundred. Yeah. And we still have more to get into after one last break to hear word from this week, sponsors. And now back to the episode. Alright, so before the break we were just telling some fun little stories of summer shenanigans that have happened across the country and actually even across the pond.

Uh, we've covered lake crimes, ice cream, shop crimes, and beach crimes. And now we are going to move on to campground crimes. And I don't know immediately, I know we already have said that there's nothing creepy in this episode. Nothing scary. But why, when I hear campground crimes do I just immediately go to like.

Actual horror movie crimes. Yes. Right? Yes. So campgrounds are a place where people go to connect with nature and apparently also sometimes disconnect from their [00:26:00] belongings. Our first campground crime focuses on a very specific target. In May, 2025, the morning sun reported that a 54-year-old man from Michigan was arraigned for a series of thefts targeting payment collection sites at State Forest Campground.

So if you're not familiar with visiting state parks, um, a lot of the campgrounds and state parks now have, when you come to the entry, there is not a person there to collect this entry fee. Instead, they have either a, you know, a box or sometimes they have like metal pipes where you're meant to deposit the fee.

For using the park or camping there, or whatever it is. And it's really just done on an honor system. I know we have several parks even around us. Uh Yeah, Melissa, that do this kind of same thing. Like if you arrive and there's no attendant at the gate, you're just supposed to put your money in the envelope Right.

And put it inside the thing and you go about your business. So, uh, this guy was going around to different campgrounds and breaking into these payment pipes to steal the cash inside. [00:27:00] There's not gonna be a lot of cash in there. No. I've seen somebody just put the envelope in and not even put any money in.

Only, I was gonna say, there's so many people that don't even put any money in and like, yeah. I, it didn't say in the article how much he allegedly made off with, uh, or how he, I don't think it gonna be a lot caught. It didn't say how he got caught, but I imagine it was because, um, someone was like, Hey, why is this guy like trying to rip this pole outta the ground?

That's money in it. I'm gonna put this pole in the back of my boat. Right. And we're gonna take off. Yeah. Uh, but yeah, I can't imagine. That he would make off with that much money. It would probably take a lot of these polls and boxes to even make it worth the risk of getting arrested. Yeah, it, that does not make any sense to me.

And I've never, I've seen those a million times and I never think I should just steal No what's in there. Nobody will see this. Like, that's just, come on man. Let us have nice things. I do. I will say not, not now that I'm an adult, but you know, when I was like a little kid and I would go to like.

Fundraising events or any kind of event where like someone had like a money box that was just like they [00:28:00] were, you know, making change for people or like, whatever. Like at my school is when I feel like I would normally see this, but you've seen like a tin metal money box and it's like Terrance would bring money and paper things and they have someone guarding the box.

But of course when I was a little kid, I'm like, how easy would it be for someone just to run up and grab that box full of money? Like why was I thinking that when I was No, no, no, I get it. Can I tell you my stealing a box story, not me stealing, but I was, uh. In high school, I played basketball, like one year volleyball season.

I, I'm running the money for the guy's basketball, so I'm sitting there, but I got a nice thing of nachos for a while. I'm sitting there and I'm taking people's money, but like it's very slow. Nobody's coming in and I have the money box and it's sitting right behind me. So I'm just. Eating these nachos. You know, I love a nacho and I, I can picture the whole scenario, like you are like guarding this box.

Yes. You know, as best as you can, but you're really, really locked in on the nachos. All, I mean, like digging for [00:29:00] every little piece of cheese, like, and all of a sudden I hear a group of parents. Cackling laughing and I look and they had taken the thing, they were like, you were so intent on eating those nachos.

We wanted to see if we could steal it from you. And they did. Oh my gosh. And that's a story that somebody even told my mom recently, like, do you remember when Melissa? I'm like, oh my gosh, why is, that's my lore. My lore is wow. Loving nachos. It's not a crime. So the moral of the, yeah, the moral of the story is, I guess, don't ask Melissa to physically guard any of your, uh, personal belongings or valuables.

Oh, I'll do it with my life unless I have food and then all bets are off. I I can't, I can't help you with that. So, uh, recently the Great Ben Tribune reported that police recovered stolen property at a campsite in Great Bend, Kansas. Which also led to charges of littering against the suspects. The article didn't say exactly what was stolen, but I love that littering was part of it.

They're like, you stole, it [00:30:00] Wasn't that much, but you also left your trash on the ground. Yeah, I mean like it, you get it. Get whatever you can. I guess at that point. In December of 2022, it was reported that a thief broke into a summer camp facility in Brooklyn and stole $500 a book bag and sunglasses. And this one is interesting because it actually happened during the winter, but the facility was a summer facility that was targeted.

So this thief probably knew the place would be empty at that time. And the items that were stolen seemed kind of random. I mean, obviously the cash makes sense, but a book bag and sunglasses. Why would you take that May? Was it just a crime of opportunity or kind of just grab whatever looks valuable? Yeah.

Or maybe they just liked it. Maybe they're like, you know what, I actually like that book bag and those sunglasses. I'll just take those two while I'm here. Right. Yeah. Um, yeah, I don't, I don't know. And you could put everything in the backpack, so maybe it was just a traveling mechanism. Think smarter, not harder.

So in March of 2025, uh, it was reported that a man from Eaton County, [00:31:00] Michigan was charged with breaking into several Michigan State Forest campgrounds. Same thing as the guy Mandy hub with the pay pipes, and this is in the upper peninsula, and he was stealing all these campers fees. This seems to be a different guide than the one Mandy was talking about earlier, which suggests that this might be a more common crime than we think.

The article mentions the suspect's name, which is Justin Spit. And the thefts occurred in Michigan's upper peninsula. Somebody was, are they camping in Michigan? I know somebody explained the Michigan like hand thing. Have you ever seen that? Like, um, like Michigan looks like a MIT and then there's different areas and what they are.

One time in my whole life and the person told me and I was like, I've never heard that. And they were like, we all talk about it. Wow. And it felt really dumb. Yeah. This is a lot of confessions in war today. Every state has their own things. I guess Florida has, we all have our own things, so I'll let Michigan have their weird hand signs.

Sure. Perfect. [00:32:00] Okay, so Komo, KOMO News reported that a man suspected of stealing several items from a Lake, bay summer camp was arrested a after he led deputies on a 13 mile chase. This headline included the quote. Don't steal from kids, which I think we can all agree with. Reminds me of the documentary, don't F with cats, but kind of.

Wow. Yes. Don't steal from kids. There's a very slight connection there. Not a very good one. No, but I do love that that's where your brain went because I get that. Yeah. Mine does that too. Yeah. Also, it kind of does remind you of, uh, back in the day. You know, they, they, we used to have a lot of different things back in the day, like smoking indoors and like lots of different things.

But we also used to have reminders that we need to be, um, courteous, you know, to people that we're interacting with in public. We need to bring that back. I know, I know We do. We need signs out now that are like, please be kind to the person helping you today. But it, it, it sucks. Like I, I feel like that all [00:33:00] happened after 2020.

Really? Like if you go, I, I, I'm always startled by the one at the pharmacy that's like, this person has someone that loves them too. Right. I'm like, what do you think I'm gonna do? I just need antidepressants. I'm okay. I'm sad. I'm not gonna make her sad. It's just like your little daily reminder not to like completely snap on the person in front of you.

I almost feel like it's pushing me towards that because I'm like, like, just gimme the medicine. I know. Like just, just you. You don't want me to not have these. And then that is where it feels like a threat. So maybe that's why they do that. But yeah, I hate that. That is a thing that we have to see now. But go ahead and add, don't steal from kids.

Don't yell at the cashier. And while we're here. Mandy, don't let me see your feet ever. Summer, spring, winter, or fall. I don't care if it's the summertime. It is not yours. I'm not specifically calling yours out. You do a good job. If you send me a picture and feet are around, do you try to take it out? I do.

You're not a [00:34:00] hundred percent. I will tell you that it's not a hundred percent of the time, but I appreciate it. Other people will just send me feet, not feet picks, but kind of, uh, perverts. Yeah, but not, um, for that reason, just because I hate it. Mandy, I can't remember if our kids. If we went to trampoline parks, did we ever go to trampoline parks with both, with all of our kids?

I kind of, I don't think they might have been a little smaller. Yeah, I don't know. We might have, I know my kids have gone to trampoline parks many times, but I can't, I don't remember a time specifically that we went together. I don't either. Um, but trampoline parks. I kind of hate them. I love them and I hate them.

They're chaos or noise, and that's where another crime took place. It was reported by WHIO that police were seeking. The pub public's help identifying two people involved in the theft of Nike shoes and cash at a local trampoline park in Ohio. So obviously those things are very popular. Well, anyway, you have to take your shoes off [00:35:00] to put their special socks on, which you always have to buy.

Um, because we can never ever keep ours and they won't, won't let you use socks from another trampoline. Parking. No, it's the same exact thing, Mandy. No kidding. I found four or five pairs of socks that are sitting right on the other side of this wall, all from different places. And I'm like, are you?

Kidding me. Come on. They're grippy socks. Gimme a break. But anyway, you leave your shoes. So if you're jumping, and of course your kid can never find where they wet their shoes. You have the option, I guess, of a locker, but who's doing that? I'm not doing that. Mm-hmm. So people, I guess they were stealing Nikes and stuff.

Imagine you're the mom though, and you come out and your kids like, I put my shoes right here. You'd be like. No, and you need to find them. And then turns out somebody stole and you need to find them because I'm ready to go find them or steal another pair at the same size. Worth the same value. Um, I'm kidding.

But I remember people doing this at bowling alleys, which is a very weird Yeah. Thing like. Ew. So you're going home in you're bowling shoes. This is [00:36:00] disgusting. You know, I think it's, uh, I, it doesn't surprise me that this would happen in like a kid's thing, right? 'cause I can see like teenagers and like kids being like, oh, those are cool shoes.

I'm gonna take those shoes. However, as an adult, you are disgusting if you are stealing someone's shoes and putting your feet in them. I know. Melissa, can you imagine? I'm disassociated during this conversation because I cannot imagine it's too dangerous for me. Ew. It's, it's, that's so upsetting. No, I hate it.

And I hope everyone goes to jail and that's the, that in that scenario, so yeah, I, but I remember people stealing them from bowling alleys and I remember someone, I Knews brother, they walked out with them and I was like. Why would you leave your shoe? Not only are you stealing, you're stealing the worst stinkiest rancid thing, like, it's so disgusting.

Congratulations. So disgusting. Oh my goodness. In March of 2025, [00:37:00] CBS, San Francisco reported that suspects stole an ATM and safes from North Beach. Ta uh, Taqueria. And North Beach is a really popular area for summer tourists and locals, but obviously stealing an ATM an entire ATM, it's giving like breaking bad vibes.

Wasn't there like an ATM theft scene in there or am I thinking of a different show? I could, I could be thinking of a different show. No, there, there were something. I'm think, I always think of the magnets in Breaking Bad when I think of like a big thing where they had the magnets and they crushed the rv and you know, this is my, yeah.

Reason domicile thing. Reason I'm, yeah, I'm picturing the, um, the place that, uh, oh my gosh, I we're moving on anyway. Stealing and ATM, definitely crazy. Not only are they heavy, but also they're built to, uh, not be broken into. So. Good luck getting into it. I mean, you're gonna have to do a lot just to get into it, even if you can steal it.

Yeah. Um, but the article didn't actually say if the suspects were caught. However, I'm sure there was evidence left behind [00:38:00] when you haul away an ATM machine plus, uh, money is traceable. So I don't know why anyone in 2025 would try and like rob a bank or steal cash from an ATM because any, like when the money is, when it pops up.

They're gonna know like that. Yeah. It was used. Everyone is stupid in these stories. Um, including the next person. Sorry, I'm being me. Um, Fox 40 reported that three individuals were arrested for stealing over $2,000 worth of cherries from a cherry farm. Oof. Not cool. Um, what is that, Mandy? In 2025, like half a pound, a whole pound cherry season is literally my favorite.

Me too. When we get to where cherries are, so Oh my gosh. I, a friend of mine had a cherry pitter my friend Rhonda, that you've met and uh, and I was like. What is this? And then I got one and I was like, oh, this, this changes the game. Lifechanging, you don't have to. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So I love it. I love cherries.

But um, $2,000 worth of [00:39:00] cherries would be, if it's not 2025, that could be a lot of cherries. Yeah. Still not that much though 'cause they're always expensive. But the article mentioned that they were charged with felony illegal agriculture theft. Wow. Which could be what you get from snipping those plants all around town.

Um. Which is a very specific yeah. Category of crime. Imagine there's gotta be a detective that's like the head of agricultural theft and you're like number one on their list. I mean, it reminds me of like one story that we did where they were like stealing cows and cattle and stuff, so I'm sure they have, they do probably have a department where people.

You know, and they have at least one officer that's dealing with Yeah. Specifically like those types of agricultural crimes. 'cause I'm sure it does happen in places where agriculture is a big business. Yeah. But I imagine he's very excited when he gets a call, like, yes. Right. Um, so of course though, I mean, if you're stealing $2,000 worth of cherries from a farmer, that's gonna be a big deal and could really affect their business and.[00:40:00] 

I hate when people do things to farmers. That really does upset me. 'cause a, a lot of those people, it's just like, that's everything, so I don't understand it. Yeah. Our next case is one of my favorites because it actually involves an unlikely hero and we all love an unlikely hero in a story. In October of 2020, the Denver Post reported that a five-year-old helped crack the case of a lemur who had been stolen from the San Francisco Zoo.

Wasn't me, I wasn't there. Um, he, the five-year-old actually spotted the animal in his neighborhood, and even the 5-year-old was smart enough to be like, Hey, that monkey does not belong in my neighborhood. The boy apparently saw the lemur and, you know, said there's a lemur, which, you know. We know like five-year-olds aren't known for their naming skills.

Like he could No, they're terrible at it. Yes, exactly. Cat named cat. That horrible, that done kid. Probably just learned what a lemur was like in the very recent like past Exactly. And so he knew right, what to call it. Um, but of course, even though it was [00:41:00] cute and funny and. Even though it sounded unlikely, uh, it did alert the adults to the situation.

So the article mentioned that the suspect was charged with burglary, grand theft of an animal, and looting the lemur who was named Mackey was safely returned to the zoo. I knew you would love that story. I do. Um, yeah. But I can't imagine, uh, you know, whenever you see something that's out of place, even if you see somebody like in the grocery store, but you know them from somewhere else and you see them out in the wild and you're like, huh, I can't imagine seeing a lemur in my neighborhood and being like, yep.

Is it a dog? I, I can't tell. What is that animal? It's so funny that you mentioned that, um, about how weird it is. 'cause I just thought about that. Today about how weird it is when you always see specific people in the same place, right? So like I always see, you know, certain people I see at the gym all the time.

I only see them at the gym. Well, um, I went somewhere else today and saw someone I. That I only see at the gym and it's so weird how your brain doesn't immediately connect. Right. You know, [00:42:00] because I just kept staring at this person and I was like, how do I know them? How do I know them? Right? Where do I know this person from?

Like, I know I know them from somewhere. They look so familiar. What is their name? Like, I'm ra, I'm racking my brain. I'm like, why can't I think of like how I know this person? Or like if they see me and Megan, you know, I don't, I'm like, I don't want 'em to see me 'cause I don't. I can't even think about. I've hide who they're right.

I've gotta hide. Exactly. Me. I'm like, I know, I know them, but if they talk to me, I'm not gonna know who they are. But then it, then it dawned on me. I'm like, no dummy. You don't know them. You just see them. See them. Yeah. I'm like, you don't know that person. Um, but then it made me start thinking about how weird it is whenever you see people weird outside of like their setting, right?

Like I'm like, what? Doing at Target. Like I know you're not supposed to be here, you're supposed to be at the the gym. Well, I feel, I feel like my son, I remember a lot of kids do this when they're young. They think like a police officer stays at the police station. That that's just where they live. Yeah.

And teachers and stuff like that. So I feel like that when I see somebody, I'm like, this is not your public. This is my public, what are doing here. Okay. So our final case isn't about a [00:43:00] specific incident, but rather a trend that stores, stores have noticed. So. It's been reported that with ice cream theft increasing during summer months, sorry, we're back to ice cream.

Some grocery stores added special lid locks to pints as a deterrent. It's common enough. Okay, first of all, all I have to ask you is remember Blue Bell? Remember when we went through the blue Bell disaster where people were just the licking crisis? Yes. Yes. When they had to finally put plastic on it, 'cause people would just open it and lick it.

Oh, disgusting. I'm still upset about that. Humans are so nasty. Humans are so nasty and disgusting. I know. I'd rather a lemur, the article mentioned something called a pint lock that prevents people from opening the ice cream containers in the store. Might need one for my house. Um, but what does it look like?

Do you think? Like, is it like a security tag where it'll beep if you try to take it out, or can you not? Is it like in New York where everything's locked up and you have to like ask somebody like, Hey, can you get me five pints of ice [00:44:00] cream? Probably. I have a big party at my house. Don't ask me any questions.

Yeah, I dunno. I guess it could be just like a. Like a ring that goes around the top of the thing and secures on there that you have to have a special, you have to use a special tool to get it off. Yeah. I know this feels like a lot of work and a lot of embarrassment if I go get ice cream, like don't, it's bad enough that the cashier has to see it, but imagine somebody calling like, uh, you know, we need help on aisle five, and they finally make it over to you and you're like.

Four gallons deep and trying to come up with a whole different family. You don't actually have, you're just, you didn't get your depression medicine from Walgreens. I know. Now it, you're mad at someone. Now it's, and now you can't even like go through self-checkout and just be discreet about the ice cream you're buying because you need someone to come and like take the lock off it.

You could go home with it. That is diabolical. Honestly, if the second I saw a walk on my ice cream, I would say. This just isn't my day. I can't have ice cream today. It's just not worth it. No, [00:45:00] you, there's not enough Diet Coke you can buy to balance out all the ice cream I would end up trying to buy. So anyway, um, this was actually very fun.

Not actually, I agree, but I enjoyed this. You always act so surprised when we have a great time together. No, well, it's so hard because as everyone knows, a lot of our stories are very, very serious. So when we get a chance to do this, it's a lot of fun. So I hope you guys are enjoying these sorts of things.

If you haven't already, please. Like, and subscribe and repost and whatever it is that people need you to do, climb on top of a mountain and shout our names to the world. Climb on up a And I was like, what is she gonna say? Next mountain? Makes more sense than what I was thinking. Um, but yes, please, uh, and share with your friends.

That's like a very great way to, um, share our, our show with share like-minded people. Yes. That's it, Mandy. I'm good. All right, Melissa, I guess I'm good as well. Thank you guys for listening and we will be back next Thursday with another episode. Have a great [00:46:00] week. Bye.