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 ‘reality is stranger than fiction’ situation, a scuba diver robbed a well-liked Disney Springs restaurant and escaped following the heist with out seize. Right here’s the newest, 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, in response to a report launched by the Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace and reviewed by WFTV 9.

As you could be conscious, Paddlefish is a ship. Or reasonably, 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 duplicate paddle steamer riverboat on Lake Buena Vista at Disney Springs. The “boat” is 220 toes lengthy and 62 toes huge; 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 once 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 received 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 allure 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 manner, 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 protected.

The redacted report reveals Florida Man (now minus his scuba gear) compelled two staff to go to the nook of the room and informed them to shut their eyes. Sources conversant in the investigation informed WFTV that he tied the staff up through the heist.

One sufferer informed 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 sneakers. A second sufferer on the scene informed the same 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 liberating themselves. Neither of the staff have 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 consider 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 very lined face (above–not under). That picture seems to point out the suspect spray portray a safety digital camera.

The workers 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 comfortable 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 few years. As certainly one of America’s most distinguished philosophers as soon as mentioned, “you don’t, beneath any circumstances, ‘gotta hand it to’” the fear group ISIS.

Then again, possibly we type of do have at hand it to Florida Scuba Man? I imply, nobody received harm, it’s an undeniably hilarious story (until 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 in all probability 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 (in all probability 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+ authentic or an Solely Burglaries within the Boat-Constructing spin-off.

In the end, that looks as if the most effective ‘all people wins’ consequence 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 novice sleuthing to Reddit, I’d be remiss if I didn’t level out what’s in all probability apparent–that this sounds so much like an inside job.

This isn’t even the primary aquatic crime performed at Walt Disney World within the final a number of years! Through the COVID closure, Alabama Man was arrested for illegally tenting on Discovery Island. Orange County officers performed a search by foot, boat and helicopter and finally discovered the person after he had been there for a couple of days.

Walt Disney World safety Solid Members had seen Alabama Man making his strategy 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 informed Orange County officers that he was “unaware” the realm was off-limits and that he had been trespassing whereas on the property, and referred to Discovery Island as a “tropical paradise,” in response to 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+ authentic sequence? What do you consider the Alabama Man who camped at Discovery Island? Agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!