Bumbling Ice Cream Thief Caught Desperately Clinging To Side Of Building

The Washington Post / Contributor/Getty Images
By  Lillian Stone

Somewhere in my childhood home, there's a very incriminating video of me around the age of three. In the video, I'm at the beach with my parents. My mom is trying to enjoy a refreshing Bud Light, and my dad is filming me as I toddle around screaming at sand. Suddenly, I snatch my mom's beer and make a break for it down the boardwalk. My dad gives chase, camera still in hand, and we see a violently shaky chase sequence that ends with my dad yelling, "Don't drink that! Lillian, no!" He catches me, of course, but I was clearly caught up in the thrill of the chase. Such is the case with the Manhattan gentleman who allegedly stole a bunch of ice cream, tried to get away, and ended up clinging to the side of a tall building surrounded by cops.

NBC New York reported that a man allegedly stole "at least eight pints of ice cream" from a Manhattan business, at which point police responded to a 911 call. When officers arrived, they chased down the thief to a building courtyard, where he climbed over a fence that led to a long drop to an alleyway below. The thief apparently tried to shimmy down to the alleyway, but got stuck on a small ledge and had to wait for police to rescue him. He was then taken into custody.

"After stealing 8 pints of Häagen-Dazs from a local business, this man's getaway didn't go as planned. We found him, rescued him & brought a safe conclusion to this precarious icecapade in #EastHarlem. Thank you @NYPDSpecialops Emergency Services for lifting this man to safety," Police from the 23rd Precinct said in a tweet. Here's my question: did the thief drop the ice cream during his perilous descent, or did he manage to stuff it down his shirt and/or pants? Either way, I respect the commitment to frozen desserts.

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