The elusive Madonna Inn rug thieves have struck once more.
Round 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, two college-aged younger males carrying nondescript black hoodies and medical masks have been seen snatching the Madonna Inn welcome rug from the entry approach of the resort’s Gold Rush Steak Home, common supervisor Connie Pearce advised The Tribune. They then ran to a silver pickup truck ready within the parking zone and shortly drove off, she stated.
“They did it proper in entrance of our host,” Pearce stated, who additionally captured the incident on the resort’s safety cameras. She is asking for assist figuring out the thieves and their car.
This isn’t the primary time the resort has fallen sufferer to this distinctive crime. The rug has now been stolen 5 instances since 2021, and it’s the second time this 12 months. The rug was additionally stolen in March.
“We’re on our final nerve,” Pearce stated. “It’s our property. It’s not their property.”
Two younger males in black hoodies and medical masks have been seen stealing the welcome rug from the Madonna Inn steakhouse on the afternoon November 16, 2024. That is the fifth time the rug has been stolen in 4 years.
The welcome mat is customized made with the Madonna Inn crest brand printed on it. Each time it has been stolen, they’ve needed to re-purchase a brand new one, Pearce stated.
“It’s not one thing that you would be able to simply purchase anyplace,” she stated. Pearce beforehand estimated the worth of the rug at $250.
Pearce suspects the reoccurring crime to be the work of a Cal Poly fraternity as part of an initiation pledge or prank, although she isn’t positive which one.
In an try and dupe the robbers, Pearce stated she took the rug out of the steakhouse lobby for the month of October, figuring that was when fraternity initiation can be taking place. However inside two weeks of her placing it again out for November, it was gone.
Two younger males in black hoodies and medical masks have been seen stealing the welcome rug from the Madonna Inn steakhouse on the afternoon Nov. 16, 2024. That is the fifth time the rug has been stolen in 4 years.
The small print of the thefts have modified barely through the years — beforehand, the thieves have worn extra identifiable clothes like fraternity sweatshirts and sailors hats, face masks or no masks in any respect, however it’s all the time a pair of younger males, and the goal of the housebreaking is all the time the welcome rug.
Up to now, the thieves have lingered contained in the steakhouse for longer durations of time, however this time they simply opened the entrance doorways, grabbed the rug and ran, Pearce stated.
“Its a very adolescent, ridiculous prank,” Pearce stated, however added that “somebody goes to get damage.”
“These guys have been rushing out of (the parking zone) whereas two younger guys … have been leaping into the truck whereas it was transferring,” she stated.
Thieves steal rug from Madonna Inn steakhouse 4 years in a row. Is it a fraternity prank?
Pearce stated she had gone on to the college previously, however this time she additionally reported the incident to the police.
San Luis Obispo Police Division public info officer Christine Wallace stated the police are conscious of the incident and it’s beneath investigation.
Cal Poly media relations director Matt Laizer stated the college can also be conscious of the incident however deferred to the police with any info or questions as they’re main the investigation.
A photograph from surveillance video exhibits the Madonna Inn’s brand rug stolen by two thieves on Saturday evening, Sept. 25, 2021.
Thieves’ pickup caught on digital camera on the Madonna Inn
Pearce captured safety footage of the housebreaking in motion, together with pictures of the thieves and their get-away automotive. She posted the images on Fb in an try and determine the suspects.
On Fb, Pearce described the pickup truck as a four-door, pewter-colored 2007 GMC Sierra 4×4 with customized wheels and brake lights.
The license plate, which learn 169ZRD, seemed to be from Nevada, she stated. She advised The Tribune the automotive had no entrance plate and a skinny, translucent grey movie over the again plate, she thinks to try to wash out the numbers from onlookers.
The truck had a small elevate, step rails, a black mattress liner and a bumper trailer hitch, she stated.
“They wheels on this truck are … positively customized,” Pearce stated. “The truck is so tricked out. It’s solely a matter of time,” earlier than it’s discovered, she stated.
Two younger males in black hoodies and medical masks have been seen stealing the welcome rug from the Madonna Inn steakhouse on the afternoon November 16, 2024. That is the fifth time the rug has been stolen in 4 years.
She additionally advised The Tribune the truck mattress was filled with beer containers and what seemed to be a parking allow hung from the rear-view mirror.
As for the thieves, Pearce described them as “very tall, slender, Caucasian children” of their “late teenagers or early twenties.”
“They have been the one two individuals within the parking zone with matching black hoodies and matching masks,” Pearce stated.
Pearce marketed a $500 reward for the return of the rug and identification of the individuals accountable.
She requested for anybody with info to ship her a direct message on Fb or report it to the SLO Police Division.
Two younger males in disguises have been seen stealing the welcome rug from the Madonna Inn steakhouse and escaping in a silver pick-up truck on the afternoon November 16, 2024. That is the fifth time the rug has been stolen in 4 years.