Tip Jar Bandit and the long nimble arm of the law…

BOURNE – Remember the HN Video published this past February, which showed surveillance footage of a woman helping herself to money from a tip jar at The Lobster Trap in Bourne?

[PRESS PLAY TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY]

Well the alleged tip jar bandit, identified as Mary Gelsthorpe, age 66, failed to show up for her recent required court appearance in Falmouth.

BACKGROUND ON THE TIP JAR MONKEY BUSINESS: Thanks to tips from the concerned public, Bourne Police Detectives were able to build a case against Gelsthorpe and summoned her into court to answer to charges related to the alleged larceny of tip money…

… only the wayward senior defaulted and the court issued a warrant for her arrest.

Well, it didn’t take long for the young nimble arm of the law to spring into action and track down Gelsthorpe at her residence on Cotuit Road; where she was reportedly arrested “without incident,” according to a Bourne Police media statement. (I’m assuming they didn’t need to Taze her…)

The 66-year-old was hauled into Bourne Police Headquarters, where they threw the book at her… but eventually allowed her to be released on bail because, according to a rumor, she gave officers a “pinky promise” to show up at court this time, in the morning.

(The pinky promise part is unofficial and I’m actually the one who started that rumor… 😉 )

Well, low and behold! The BPD reports that Gelsthorpe did, in fact, show up to court on yesterday, where she was arraigned, setting the wheels of justice in motion on the charge of Larceny (from a tip jar) Under $250.

HN TIP: You may or may not have had your hand caught in the tip jar… and you may have even had a default warrant issued for your arrest… oh, and the dog may or may not have eaten your homework back in elementary school…

… but once you give someone a pinky promise – and congrats for realizing the power of the pinky – that’s it, you’re bound by all natural laws and everything holy to follow through on your promise!

And by the way, and more to the point, it’s never too late to grow up… yes, even at age 66!

* All tip jar thieves are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law… (after they show up, of course…)

P.S. – This Hytown Vignette is brought to you by the Presidents of the United States of America… [BLAST IT!]