Gumby-Costumed Man Tries to Rob 7-Eleven in SoCal, Cops Say
Updated at the bottom with San Diego police telling us they don't believe it was a hoax. Two suspects turned themselves in. First posted at 6:03 a.m. on Sept. 7.
Gumby.
Gumby tried to rob a Southern California 7-Eleven. You read that right.
A man dressed in a full-on, head-to-toe Gumby costume walked into a branch of the convenience store in Rancho Penasquitos in northern San Diego early Labor Day morning and held the place up before fleeing empty-handed. It was caught on security video.
That according the San Diego Police Department (via KGTV San Diego). Det. Gary Hassen:
SDPD This is called evidence. And why are his eyes red? Is he stoned?
... It's hilarious to look at it on the video. But, it is a very serious crime and we take it very seriously.
It happened shortly after midnight Monday, according to cops. But the bad guy, who appeared to have walked in with another man, chickened out after declaring he had a gun, fumbling for something, and ultimately dropping .27 cents before fleeing, according to the station's account.
The clerk didn't even call cops, who were notified after a manager saw the security video later that day.
10News only found one place in the area that sells or rents Gumby costumes, but cops say the key to the robbery is tracking down the man whose face is seen on security video.
He allegedly fled with Gumby man in a vehicle appropriate to the character's era -- a van.
Update: Gumby, apparently, couldn't stand the heat, and neither could his cohort.
The pair were interviewed by police Tuesday, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. The 19-year-old suspects were ID'd as would-be Gumby Jacob Kissand Jason Giramma.
Cops even confiscated the Gumby suit.
Police are sending their case to the D.A. for its consideration. That kind of wording makes us think that maybe detectives believe it was a prank possibly not worth pursuing, but we'll see.
Update No. 2: Even though the two weren't arrested, San Diego police Det. Gary Hassen investigators aren't treating this as a hoax:
We don't take it as a prank. Gumby walked in and said this is a robbery. I realize the novelty of the attempted crime. A lot of people are going to have a good laugh over this. But anybody who threatens to use a weapon is certainly capable of using one. We take it seriously.
Still, why no arrests?
"The investigators decided to send it to the D.A.'s office," Hassen said. "There may be some other considerations here, but I can't go into that."
After the convenience store video went out to the world police got a few calls indicated who the alleged accomplice might be, he said: Cops tracked him down, contacted him and told him to come in with Gumby this morning for an interview.
No weapon was found, but the duo brought the costume to police today.
"The costume is in custody," Hassen said. "Impounded."
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