The Incident
This man looks like a regular shopper coming in to pick up a few goods at his local convenience store. He’s anything but regular. He opens up his blue bag and dives in. He fills his bag with chips, cakes, candy, and soda. And when he’s done, he just walks out. This man has been serial thieving at the same convenience store for the better part of a year.
The Nickname
He’s there so much they give him a nickname, Gatorade Man, for his penchant for the thirst-quenching sports drink. At least once a week, he waltzes in, grabs some snacks, then waltzes right back out. Until one day, he walks in, fills up his bags, and as he’s about to walk out again– the clerks lock the doors.
The Lockdown
He’s trapped. The clerk recognizes the man and presses a button that locks the door. He calls 911. But this thief is not going to wait for police to arrive. He kicks once, twice. Still no luck. He pushes and pulls at the door. He takes a running jump and kicks some more. He puts the stolen drinks back and drops the bag of poached goodies on the shelf.
The Escape
He grabs just one drink to help him in his quest to escape. Finally, after a solid five minutes of kicking and flying jumps, the Plexiglas comes off and he crawls through. And he’s off again.
The Store Owner’s Solution
In a surprising twist, the store’s owner, Dennis Alloy, finds an unconventional solution to ending the pilfer. Dennis Alloy and a local neighborhood guy discussed the issues. The neighborhood guy recognized the Gatorade Man and arranged a meeting.
The Meeting
Dennis went in with an angry mood. They talked, and the thief explained his drug problem and efforts in rehab. Dennis did not want to put him in jail but needed the thefts to stop. The thief worked for a full day, cleaning dispensers and the parking lot.
The Aftermath
After the conversation, Dennis did not see the thief for several weeks. One night, he returned, but after that one relapse, he has not been seen in the store since.
