Sunday, January 7, 2007

Mystery thief caught on surveillance tape swipes Bagelstein’s revered raccoon-shaped toothpick dispenser

By Teresa Gubbins

An unidentified woman limps into Bagelstein's, feigns interest in the menu and then removes her sweater. She uses the sweater to surreptitiously sweep up her prize and hobble out the door. The entire heist takes less than a minute.

FAR NORTH DALLAS — In a theft that’s rocked the North Dallas deli where he presided, "Rocky," a beloved raccoon-shaped toothpick dispenser, was brazenly kidnapped by an unidentified patron whose sticky-fingered heist was caught on tape.

A surveillance video obtained by pegasusnews.com from Bagelstein's Deli shows the feckless filcher loitering at the cash register where Rocky stood sentry, before ensnaring the furry curio in her sweater and making a quick getaway.

Beyond the gap it leaves for customers in need of a toothpick, Rocky's disappearance rips a hole in the hearts of Bagelstein's owners Bob and Melinda Davidson and their daughters Susan, 19, and Sarah, 14, who’d bought the raccoon replicant for her father.

“She thought it was perfect because he’s a big Beatles fan – you know, the song 'Rocky Raccoon'," said Melinda. "He’d been with us for four years."

In fact, Rocky had become the restaurant’s mascot.

One regular customer, who prefers to remain anonymous but whose 18-month-old daughter loved the unique procyonid trinket, said, "Last time we were in there, she started pointing and saying 'caccoon, caccoon,' and we noticed it wasn't there."

"We have customers asking us every day, 'What happened to the raccoon?'" said Bob.

The brash bandita appears to be a woman in her 60s, with long white hair bound into a ponytail, and what looks to be a slight gimp. Her crime surely seems premeditated, as she deliberately approaches the counter and feigns interest in the menu before removing her sweater and making off with the masked statuette.

None of the Davidsons remember seeing her in the restaurant previously.

"My waitress who’s been here 27-odd years said she doesn’t recognize her either," Bob said.

Daughter Susan describes Rocky as approximately 10 inches tall, with a rough faux-fur finish, glass nose, and glass eyes, holding a piece of carved wood in his cupped hands, suitable for toothpicks or business cards. If you recognize Rocky or the woman in the videotape, you can leave a comment here or call Bagelstein's at 972-386-5757.

If you'd like to help solve this heartless crime, go here for the YouTube code to post this video on your MySpace, blog or website.

Related stories

• Bagelstein’s moves to primo new location in Dallas (Feb. 24, 2008)

See more stories in:

• Food and Drink > Dining / Restaurants
• Crime > Burglary / Robbery / Theft
• Pegasus News Exclusive

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