
(Bubblegum Bandit in action)
The truth is now officially stranger than fiction. It seems some guy is going around the Brevard County area of Florida stealing change from bubblegum machines. He’s done it 16 times now. He has broken into a Hollywood Video store and all he took was money from the bubblegum machine. You would think he would at least grab a copy of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory too. The police say it took him longer to remove the pane of glass on the store than to actually grab the coinage.
His latest burglary was at a preschool where he broke in and did the same thing (robbed a candy vending machine) but this time he also stole a DVD player from the school and some lunch meat. Police said it appeared he also fixed himself an English muffin before he took off. “Police said they have never seen anything like this. They don’t know what his motive is, if he is dangerous, or where or when he might strike again.”
The police have even released a video of one of his crimes. It shows him crawl into the store all ninja-like on all fours wearing a mask and gloves. He makes a beeline for the gumball machine and nabs the change. It’s pretty funny and worth a look.
What kind of world do we live in where even our bubblegum machines are not safe anymore?
UPDATE: He’s been caught!
News coverage at WFTV
Video of one of his crimes