Ice Cream Shop Seeks Help After Bizarre Burglary

An award-winning ice cream parlor in Southern California is reaching out to the community for assistance following an unusual robbery. On Monday night, a barefoot thief was captured on surveillance cameras stealing a life-sized cardboard cutout of Taylor Swift.

“We are sorry to hear that your Taylor Swift standee was stolen from our Camarillo store,” Mr. Softee expressed in a Facebook post. “If you know this man, please let us know.”

The video posted by the store shows the suspect—barefoot, wearing a white shirt, black joggers, and a baseball cap—entering the shop around 8:21 p.m. After browsing for a moment, he seized the cutout near the entrance and walked out without engaging with anyone.

Interestingly, it appears the thief had visited earlier with friends, enjoying ice cream. He returned alone about 20 minutes later, presumably with the intent to steal.

These cardboard cutouts were part of Mr. Softee’s limited-time Swifty Swirl promotion, which came about after reports that a Mr. Softee truck was present at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding.

After the theft, the restaurant reassured patrons that they would still have their frozen treats available, despite the loss of the standee. The Swifty Swirl, made from vanilla soft serve blended with cookie dough and chocolate dip, topped with mini M&M’s and rainbow sprinkles, has become a hit. Customers were encouraged to snap selfies with the Taylor cutout as part of the promotion.

The surveillance footage garnered a lot of attention on social media, with users humorously dubbing the suspect the “barefoot bandit.” Comments like “He came barefoot, so he must live nearby” emerged as people speculated about the peculiar circumstances.

Mr. Softee remains optimistic, affirming that even with the standee gone, their delicious ice cream will still be available for all to enjoy.