Vancouver cupcake thief apologizes, offers to pay for damages from bizarre bakery break-in
The man who broke into a Dunbar bakery by kicking in a glass door Friday morning has apologized to the owner and offered to pay for damages.
After entering Sweet Something bakery, he spent approximately 30 minutes in the shop before taking a few selfies and using a mop to attempt to clean up the broken glass. The man then fled the store with six chocolate and champagne-flavoured cupcakes.
A few days later, the man reached out to the owner by telephone.
“He profusely apologized," said Emma Irvine, owner of Sweet Something. "He was really, really nice. He offered to pay for the door, offered to pay for the cupcakes.”
CTV News asked Irvine for the man's contact for comment, but were told he doesn't want to speak with media. Instead, CTV News was provided his lawyer's contact, who didn't return the call.
His motive behind the cupcake crime remains a mystery.
“I didn’t really ask," said Irvine. "You know, at the end of the day, what does it matter?"
Irvine has tried to make the most of the situation, even creating a new signature cupcake dubbed the 'crime of passion.’ The cupcake is chocolate and champagne flavoured, topped with edible orange sunglasses, similar to those worn by the burglar.
"It's definitely bizarre," said Cst. Tania Visintin with the Vancouver Police Department. "It kind of makes you chuckle a bit."
Police say they're still investigating, but that the suspect's remorseful actions could go a long way.
“Definitely it’s very noble of him -- to offer to pay," said Visintin. "That’s great that he’s taking full responsibility.”
"I don't want any charges pressed," said Irvine. "I think he just made a mistake and there's no point going further."
Back in 2020, the shop experienced a similar incident with a man breaking in and stealing a camera and rice crispie squares, though he never cleaned up, apologized or offered to pay for damages.
Meanwhile, Irvine has invited the bakery bandit back to the shop for some more treats, with one exception.
"We even chatted maybe about sitting down together at the bakery, sharing a cupcake and maybe talking about the situation, but in that he'll give me those orange sunglasses."
The story has erupted on social media and has been covered by news agencies across North America.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.