A group of Girl Scouts were just doing their thing, selling cookies outside a southern California grocery store last weekend, when a man stole around $40 in cash from the group’s donation jar, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The suspect, 21-year-old David Betancort, allegedly swiped the jar and ran away laughing. It contained money meant to buy cookies to send to military personnel overseas as part of a project called Operation Thin Mint. Local media christened the thief the “cookie monster”.
Local police and U.S. marshals tracked Betancort down Thursday and descended on his house, where he allegedly attempted to run away. He was eventually tackled and subdued — and then sent to county jail on outstanding warrants for previous, unrelated offenses. Now, police say, he’ll likely face a petty theft charge as well.
- TIME's Top 100 Photos of 2022
- I Tested Positive for COVID-19 Right Before the Holidays. What Should I Do?
- Column: How To Create a Sense of Belonging In a Divided America
- How to Survive the Holidays if You're a Scrooge
- Life Expectancy Provides Evidence of How Far Black Americans Have Come
- The 10 Best Albums of 2022
- Iran Has a Long History of Protest and Activism
- 6 Ways to Give Better Gifts—Based on Science
