Nothing hits better than a late night sweet treat, but one man took his search for the perfect bite further than most when he broke into Mr Frostie early Sunday morning.
A man dressed in a turquoise shirt and khaki pants broke into the store at about 1:20 a.m., according to surveillance footage shared by Mr Frostie on Instagram. However, his heist was far from successful.
The burglar immediately tripped and fell after entering the shop, knocking over a tub of ice cream and covering the floor. The man proceeded to wipe the dairy mess from his pants before grabbing a nearby towel to clean up the kitchen.
Before leaving, the man served himself a scoop of ice cream.
Not one piece of expensive equipment was taken. Nor valuables or even cash. Just a scoop of ice cream.
“This is a fun thing in these wild times with everything going on, politically, economically, everything, we’re like, ‘Man, we just need to make people smile,’” said Jack Conca, son of the shop owners, of sharing the video online.
“What pairs perfectly with ice cream is a smile,” he said.
Conca said he didn’t expect the video to garner as much attention as it has.
USC Public Relations and Advertising professor Robert Kozinets believes this has served in the establishment’s favor.
“This is fantastic earned media,” he said. “What could be more sincere than people robbing you to get your goods.”
Matthew Le Veque, also a USC public relations and advertising professor, said he could see Mr Frostie’s customer base grow as a result of the social media response.
“It is a smart move by the shop,” he said. “It helps publicize the crime committed and can assist the police in solving it, while simultaneously generating a positive brand message about how good their ice cream is.”
Established in 1949, Mr. Frostie has been serving up some mouthwatering classics that draw every age group to their old-school cuisine. Fan favorites include the peanut butter and chocolate shake, a banana split and dipped cones to accompany their iconic soft serve.
“We’re just kind of rocking with it,” Conca said.