Regardless of not having the rights to Ocean’s Eleven, the script for a smash sequel to the movie franchise simply wrote itself at Walt Disney World. In a ‘fact is stranger than fiction’ state of affairs, a scuba diver robbed a preferred Disney Springs restaurant and escaped following the heist with out seize. Right here’s the most recent, plus our commentary.
Investigators are trying to find a Florida Scuba Man they are saying robbed Paddlefish restaurant by swimming up in scuba gear and a wetsuit after which swimming away after stealing tens of 1000’s of {dollars}. The robber hit restaurant shortly after midnight on Monday, after it closed to visitors, based on a report launched by the Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace and reviewed by WFTV 9.
As you is likely to be conscious, Paddlefish is a ship. Or moderately, a boat-like constructing. Regardless, that’s what enabled the Florida Scuba Man to swim out and in of Paddlefish with out being detected. Though this story can be much more weird and amusing if Florida Scuba Man elected to rob Morimoto Asia or Blaze Pizza. Nobody would’ve suspected a dude strolling round in scuba gear to heist a restaurant on land.
In case you’re unfamiliar with it, Paddlefish is the previous Empress Lilly. It’s a reproduction paddle steamer riverboat on Lake Buena Vista at Disney Springs. The “boat” is 220 toes lengthy and 62 toes vast; a constructing with a submerged concrete basis that’s formed like a ship. It’s existed at Walt Disney World since 1976, first containing three eating places and a jazz lounge.
Again after I was a teenager and this was the Disney Village Market, the Empress Lily hosted one of many first character breakfasts at Walt Disney World. By the point I used to be a bit older, we had one of many fanciest meals of my childhood at Fulton’s Crab Home. (I ate an excessive amount of butter and obtained sick.)
Fulton’s closed in 2016, and a brand new restaurant referred to as Paddlefish took its place. Paddlefish is ok, however missing in persona and attraction as in contrast with the Empress Lily and even Fulton’s Crab Home.
Maybe Florida Scuba Man focused Paddlefish for his heist to protest the overabundance of greys and sterile, company look. Or possibly he used to reside within the Rivers of America and was evicted. Both means, no jury (of diehard Walt Disney World followers) would convict him.
Orange County Sheriff’s deputies mentioned the Florida Scuba Man discovered a spot to retailer his wetsuit and scuba gear earlier than strolling into the supervisor’s workplace, the place money from the night time was being counted and deposited right into a secure.
The redacted report exhibits Florida Man (now minus his scuba gear) pressured two staff to go to the nook of the room and instructed them to shut their eyes. Sources conversant in the investigation instructed WFTV that he tied the workers up through the heist.
One sufferer instructed deputies she was standing within the doorway of the supervisor’s workplace finishing paperwork when Florida Man got here in, pushed them, and made them get on their knees.
She described the suspect as a person carrying all black, together with a blue hat, rubber gloves, a ski masks, and socks, however no footwear. A second sufferer on the scene instructed an analogous story.
Whereas on land, Florida Man stole between $10,000 and $20,000 of money; the precise quantity is unclear. There are two prices on the pending OSCO report for theft and grand theft.
The Paddlefish staff mentioned he left inside two minutes, they usually referred to as 911 after releasing themselves. Neither of the workers had been harm and the person didn’t brandish any weapons per the sheriff’s report. They referred to the occasion as a strong-arm theft and grand theft.
After leaving the “boat” constructing, investigators imagine the Florida Man donned his scuba gear, jumped again into Lake Buena Vista, and swam off into the night time and not using a hint. A seek for the person instantly after the theft was reported yielded no outcomes.
The Orange County Sheriff’s launched a picture of the suspect with reflective goggles and a totally lined face (above–not beneath). That picture seems to point out the suspect spray portray a safety digicam.
The staff described the person carrying tight clothes and a blue beanie. They mentioned he was slim and roughly 5 toes, 10 inches tall.
The restaurant opened as regular to visitors at midday on Monday. There have been no apparent indicators of an elevated safety presence round Paddlefish, which looks as if a mistake given the propensity for copycat Florida Scuba Males who will undoubtedly acknowledge the restaurant as a tender goal.
Levy Restaurant Group, the third-party working participant and proprietor of Paddlefish, referred all inquiries to the Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace. The OCSO mentioned the investigation was ongoing. Detectives from Disney Vacationer Weblog report that they are going to be pursuing further leads on the Boathouse (which is neither a ship nor a home) within the close to future.
Turning to commentary, I actually don’t know what to say about this. On the one hand, I’ve been disheartened by the rising variety of Individuals who’ve come out as unabashedly pro-crime over the previous couple of years. As considered one of America’s most distinguished philosophers as soon as mentioned, “you don’t, underneath any circumstances, ‘gotta hand it to’” the phobia group ISIS.
Alternatively, possibly we type of do have handy it to Florida Scuba Man? I imply, nobody obtained harm, it’s an undeniably hilarious story (except you personal or work at Paddlefish), and it was an A+ heist concept. Aren’t the dudes from Ocean’s Eleven coded as likeable antiheroes regardless of being criminals? Though in that case, being handsome most likely doesn’t harm. Jury’s nonetheless out on Florida Scuba Man within the seems division.
Hopefully, the Florida Scuba Man will likely be caught by the week’s finish (most likely drunkenly bragging about his exploits whereas operating round his neighborhood, pants-less).
And one other week after that, his agent will likely be negotiating the rights to his life story for way over $20,000 with CEO Bob Iger, who will make this heist right into a Disney+ unique or an Solely Burglaries within the Boat-Constructing spin-off.
In the end, that looks as if one of the best ‘all people wins’ end result to me. Whereas we don’t usually report on the crime beat right here at Disney Vacationer Weblog, I simply couldn’t resist this one. The story is just too good to not share. And though I’d usually depart the newbie sleuthing to Reddit, I’d be remiss if I didn’t level out what’s most likely apparent–that this sounds quite a bit like an inside job.
This isn’t even the primary aquatic crime carried out at Walt Disney World within the final a number of years! In the course of the COVID closure, Alabama Man was arrested for illegally tenting on Discovery Island. Orange County officers carried out a search by foot, boat and helicopter and finally discovered the person after he had been there for just a few days.
Walt Disney World safety Forged Members had seen Alabama Man making his solution to Discovery Island utilizing an organization boat. Regardless of this, the person managed to evade detection for a number of days, sleeping in one of many island’s buildings. As soon as discovered, he was arrested on a trespassing cost, taken to jail with out incident, and banned from all Disney properties.
Upon being arrested, the person instructed Orange County officers that he was “unaware” the world was off-limits and that he had been trespassing whereas on the property, and referred to Discovery Island as a “tropical paradise,” based on the arrest report. Discovery Island was gated off and has quite a few “no trespassing” indicators in place. In his protection, Alabama Man would possibly’ve been illiterate.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on the Florida Scuba Man who heisted Paddlefish? Is he a loveable antihero, agent of hilarity and chaos; or a scoundrel deserving of the slammer? Hope this finally ends up being a Disney+ unique collection? What do you consider the Alabama Man who camped at Discovery Island? Agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
