Possible Child Abductor Dressed as Pink Panther on the Loose

Summary

Crime Weekly: "Possible Child Abductor Dressed as Pink Panther on the Loose"

Episode Date: May 27, 2026
Hosts: Stephanie Harlowe & Derrick Levasseur

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Episode Overview

In this urgent episode, Derrick and Stephanie break down the alarming reports from Fredericksburg, Virginia, where an unidentified person dressed in a Pink Panther costume was spotted following, chasing, and allegedly attempting to abduct children after school. The hosts analyze the details, connect the case to historical incidents involving disguised perpetrators, and share vital safety insights for parents and communities. They also have a candid discussion on the implications and concerns around masks and costumes in public spaces.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Incident Details: The Pink Panther Stalker

• [00:18–04:57] Derrick introduces the recent news:

  • May 14, 4:30pm: A person in a Pink Panther costume seen trailing a group of children off a school bus in Fredericksburg, VA.
  • The individual ran after the kids, reportedly attempting to grab the youngest, who escaped with her sister's help.
  • Local stores reported the same person entering in costume, refusing requests to unmask.
  • Notable costume details: aside from the Pink Panther suit, wore cowboy boots, a plaid shirt, and carried a distinctive yellow patterned bag.

• Quote, Derrick [03:51]:
  "It could be part of the costume... someone’s gonna see this and recognize the boots or this bag as something they’ve seen before. And they might say...I recognize those cowboy boots or I recognize that bag..."

• Community response:

  • Photos and videos of the costume have circulated, with the unsettling figure simply standing and staring at observers.
  • Police have increased patrols and are requesting tips from the public.

• Quote, Stephanie [05:01]:
  "...the way that they're taking pictures of him and he’s just standing there across the street looking at them, not trying to hide, not afraid...The boldness you get when your face is covered..."

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2. Behavioral Analysis and Safety Risks

• [04:58–09:51] The hosts dissect why the scenario is especially dangerous:

  • Kids naturally trust adults in costumes, conditioned by positive experiences with characters at malls, parties, etc.
  • The costume serves both as a lure and a disguise, increasing the risk for unsuspecting children.
  • Emphasis on the necessity for swift identification and intervention.

• Quote, Stephanie [09:09]:
  "Kids love it. They just immediately feel safe going up to an adult dressed in a fluffy costume...As parents, we’ve almost trained our kids to do that..."

• Derrick’s speculation [06:37]:

  • The nonchalant public behavior suggests possible mental health issues or homelessness.
  • Hopes the person is well-known to the community for easier identification.

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3. Police Actions & Public Guidance

• [07:13, 26:38] Fredericksburg PD asks for public vigilance.

  • Phone: [phone]
  • Anonymous tip: Text 847-411 with FPD TIP and your message
  • FPD Tip App (iOS & Android)

• Stephanie’s emphasis [08:35]:
  "If you see something, say something...Even if it's someone you know...This isn't a witch trial, but we have to identify [the suspect]."

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4. Historical Parallels: The 2016 “Creepy Clown” Panic

• [12:49–18:15] Stephanie recounts the 2016 rash of clown sightings:

  • Began in Green Bay, Wisconsin as apparent marketing for a horror film.
  • Spread across the U.S., Canada, UK, and Australia, some as pranks, others more sinister.
  • Resulted in arrests, assaults, and at least one stabbing fatality.
  • Many used costumed anonymity for social media fame or to commit real crimes.

• Quote, Stephanie [15:37]: "You don’t know which ones are real or which ones are people kind of just taking advantage of clown sightings...People doing it for social media clout..."

• Both hosts caution [16:13]:

  • Such pranks can end in tragedy if the wrong person reacts defensively.
  • Not all costumed appearances are harmless—dangerous individuals exploit anonymity.

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5. Masking, Costumes & Public Safety: Social Commentary

• [19:03–25:27] Derrick’s "hot take":

  • Public use of full-face masks and costumes outside of clear, permitted events should be restricted or regulated.
  • Medical exceptions, marketing, or protected events (e.g., Comic Con) are valid, but random masking is suspicious.

• Memorable exchange:

  • Stephanie [21:55]: "If it's not Halloween, there is absolutely no reason for you to be out in public wearing a costume or a mask of any kind. Get the hell out."
  • Derrick [23:10]: "It’s not going to be a law that gets passed, but like a city ordinance where you’re not allowed to wear a mask unless you have some type of medical documentation..."

• Practical context:

  • Both share how masks and even backpacks can trigger concern, especially in non-event settings or hot weather.

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6. Final Appeal & Takeaways

• [26:38] Call to Action:

  • Any sightings or tips should be promptly reported to Fredericksburg PD.
  • Early identification is crucial to prevent further incidents.

• Quote (Stephanie) [26:57]: "Anyone who has seen or interacted with the suspect is urged to contact the Fredericksburg Police Department at 540-373-3122..."

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Creepy Impact:
  "There was like a passerby who was smart enough to take a photo...the person in the Pink Panther costume is just, like, staring at him. Looks straight out of a horror movie."
  –B (Derrick) [01:36]

• Community Tension:
  "People are very, very...stressed out about this. They don't like it at all, which I don't blame them."
  –A (Stephanie) [05:01]

• Safety Reflection:
  "...an innocent child who sees this person in a costume...it might be like, oh, my God, that's so cool. And if nobody's around...they could take advantage of that. So we need to identify them immediately."
  –B (Derrick) [08:35]

• Parallel to Clown Sightings:
  "A small, dangerous minority...were actual criminals who were using the anonymous nature of this clown mask and clown costume to commit crimes..."
  –A (Stephanie) [17:45]

• Public Attitudes Toward Masks:
  "If you see anybody wearing like a mask or a costume and it's like August or March and you're walking about in the public, I immediately think you're up to no good."
  –A (Stephanie) [21:55]

• About Regulations:
  "There are restrictions...Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe everyone's going to come at us and say, Stephanie and Derek, you're wrong. But I think most people, ask yourself, truly..."
  –B (Derrick) [23:50]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:18] Introduction to the case & initial details
• [01:36] Description of photo and behavior
• [03:51] Costume clues and possible public identification
• [05:01] Community fear and the psychology of masks
• [06:37] Derrick’s speculation on suspect's background
• [07:13] Police call to action & reporting options
• [09:09] Why costumes are dangerous for children
• [12:49] 2016 creepy clown sightings comparison
• [16:13] Warning against viral costume pranks
• [19:03] Discussion: Should masks be restricted?
• [21:55] Stephanie’s ‘zero tolerance’ on public masks
• [23:10] Suggestions for city ordinances on masks
• [26:38] Final call to action: reporting and vigilance

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Conclusion & Host Safety Advice

This episode highlights the need for community awareness and vigilance against individuals using costumes as a means to approach or abduct children. Derrick and Stephanie stress that what might look like a childish prank or oddity can, and sometimes does, mask criminal intent. They also remind listeners to discuss the risks of “costumed strangers” with their children and to always report suspicious behavior to authorities without hesitation.

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How to Help / Report:

• Fredericksburg PD: 540-373-3122
• Anonymous Tip: Text 847-411 w/ "FPD TIP" + your tip
• App: Free FPD Tip app (iOS & Android)

---

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Welcome back to Crime Weekly News. I'm Derek Levasseur.

[A]

And I'm Stephanie Harlow.

[B]

And as of right now, whether you're listening or watching this, Stephanie and I are. Well, I'm on my way to Vegas. Stephanie will be leaving in the morning, and so we're excited about that. We're hoping to see some of you there. But today we're talking about something that's not good news and something that everyone should be concerned about, because it's not just this specific area. It's anywhere. It can happen anywhere in the country. And anybody who has children out there, you definitely want to know this story. So Thursday, May 14, a person dressed in a Pink Panther costume was spotted in several locations around the old Greenwich area of Fredericksburg, Virginia. This person reportedly was following a group of children who had gotten off a school bus. And police are now asking for the public's help to find this potential child stalker. And listen, I just gave you the short version. I actually stumbled on this on Instagram. Somebody else was talking about it. I didn't hear about it anywhere else. And then I sent the link, once I started search, researching it to Stephanie. Did you already know about it, Stephanie, or was it.

[A]

No.

[B]

Okay, see, that's a problem.

[A]

But when you sent it to me and I looked into it, it reminded me of something else, which we're going to talk about.

[B]

You said that. And by way, if you're. If you're not watching on video right now, you need to go over there and check it out, because there's this eerie photo of this. Of this person. I'm assuming it's a guy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

They think may not be, but this, they're standing there in this costume, and there was like a passerby who was smart enough to take a photo of it. And the. The person in the Pink Panther costume is just, like, staring at him.

[A]

It looks a ton of people straight

[B]

out of a horror movie.

[A]

Yeah, there's a lot of their, like, local Facebook pages and stuff because they kept seeing them.

[B]

And there's video, too. There's video, too. So people should definitely check that out because you can see his. His gait, his walk. These are all things that could help identify him.

[A]

So the reports say that the Pink Predator ominously trailed a group of terrified youngsters fresh off the school bus in Fredericksburg. This was around 4:30pm on May 14. And then this horrifying video shows him prowling along the grassy roadside near the Lafayette Boulevard corridor.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So this. This was happening. And then a local resident Posted on Facebook. Quote, this man stared down my son in one of the older neighbors from across the road. That's when this picture was snapped. End quote. Yeah, that's the weird photo.

[B]

It's just like they didn't even care. They just, like, sitting there staring. There might be something wrong with this person.

[A]

Now, apparently, according to eyewitnesses, he went after these four children who got off the bus. But he wasn't just following them. He, like, ran after them. They were terrified. And then he tried to grab the smallest one, but her sister pulled her away. So isn't somebody who's just kind of dressed up, like, weird and trying to scare people? It looks like, allegedly. And reportedly that they're trying to grab kids?

[B]

So scary.

[A]

This was concerning.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And we're not. We're not really sure what's going on, but I guess the Pink Panther guy has been spotted multiple times, and he even went into this store wearing the costume. And then the store owner and several customers were like, hey, take your mask off. And they. He just ignored them and. And then kind of eventually left. But according to a clerk at one of the stores, she said, based on, like, a hole or like, a tear in his costume, that she believes this was. This is a man. But it's just weird because not only is a Pink Panther costume, but he's kind of added stuff to it. So he's added, like, cowboy boots and this, like, plaid shirt, and it's just very, very odd. So.

[B]

Well, I think I. I mean, it could be part of the costume. I don't know until we find this person. The cowboy boots and also this thing tied around their neck, which looks kind of like a bag. It's like a yellow printed. It almost looks like camo a little bit. It's not, but it looks camo. I do wonder if someone's going to see this and recognize the boots or this bag as something they've seen someone else wearing at a particular time. And they might say, oh, you know what? I don't know where the Pink Panther costume came from, but I recognize those cowboy boots or I recognize that bag because this might be something that contains items this person is. Is known to carry. There's only one other thing before you continue, Stephanie, that I want to point out. We're recording this on May 22nd, so you guys aren't going to be seeing or hearing this till next Wednesday, so just in case, because it's my guess this person will be in custody long before this episode drops. Just keep that in mind. We're putting it out in. In the hopes that he is caught. Beforehan, if you're watching this going, he's already been caught. We already know who he is. That is why we're recording this on May 22, because we'll be gone next week for crime con.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Okay, so that's good. I think he gets caught.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, that would be ideal, right? Because it's. It's a very stressful situation. People are very. In Fredericksburg, people are very, very, like, stressed out about this. They don't like it at all, which I don't blame them. Just like, as you said, the way that they're taking pictures of him and he's just standing there across the street looking at them, like, not trying to hide, not afraid. And is this the fact that. It's the boldness that you get when you're, when your face is covered, when you know that no one can recognize you? But one of the women who was talking about this said, listen, like, I, I don't. I don't find this cute. I don't find this funny. If somebody's going to do something like this dressed in, in this ridiculous Pink Panther costume, what are they doing when their mask is off? Like, this is not a, A normal person. This is not a person that has, you know, good intentions. This isn't someone who's trying to bring joy to children. This is someone who's trying to use. This outfit is either a way to, like, lure children in or to not be spotted when he's, when he's taking them. And that's a concern.

[B]

Yeah, for me, and this is speculation, but there's. There's one particular video where this person is just driving down, like, the center barrier. It's grass, but it's like, between the roads and this person, it looks like it's hot out. Is just walking down the road and not really paying attention to anyone. There's cars stopping, there's people taking photos, and they're just walking. Now, my guess, just from just watching the couple things we have, this person wasn't really being secretive about what they were doing. They were walking around in broad daylight.

[A]

Yeah, I, I'm going to knew they were being filmed. They knew they were being filmed taking pictures.

[B]

I'm going to speculate that when we find this person, it's more than likely going to be someone who either has some underlying mental health issues or, or is someone who is homeless right now and is just doing something because they don't care. I don't know, but that's my first thought where I'm thinking, this is going to be someone who is known to the community, who may have been seen without this costume on. And this is going to be someone that people are going to come forward and go, oh, that's. That's Joe. We always see Joe walk around with those cop. Those cowboy boots and that backpack on. So that. That's what I'm hoping, because we need to figure out what their intention was.

[A]

Well, the Fredericksburg Police Department says they take these incidents very seriously. They've increased paroles in the Lafayette Boulevard corridor, and they said residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to authorities immediately. The investigation remains ongoing, and the Fredericksburg Police Department is seeking the public's assistance. Anyone who has seen or interacted with the suspect the Pink Panther is urged to contact the Police Department at 540-373-3122. You can also make an anonymous tip, and you can send to 847-411 and text FPD TIP followed by your tip, or you can download the free FPD Tip app available for Android and iPhone. So there's a lot of options to make a tip. Now, I would assume when they say the suspect, they don't simply mean this person wearing a Pink Panther costume. They mean, hey, if there's anybody you know who, like Derek said, has those boots or, you know, has donned a Pink Panther costume before, has that walk, has that b. Has talked to you or. Or you've heard someone talking about, like, oh, I've been harassing kids wearing a Pink Panther costume, anything that might be related, even if it's somebody you know or know of that you think could be the Pink Panther, you know, it's not like you're just accusing someone randomly. This isn't a weird witch trial. But if you see something, say something, we have to identify something, put it in.

[B]

And once, like I said, once we figure out who this person is, then you could do a background on them, see what their criminal history at all is. Um, do they have stuff in their background that suggests that they've done something like this before? These are all things that need to be done. You can't take it for granted because clearly you could have an innocent child who sees this person in a costume, and to you and I, it looks creepy, but to them, it might be like, oh, my God, that's so cool. And if nobody's around, if there's no adult supervision and this person's small, whoever this guy is, in the costume, they could take advantage of that. So we need to identify them immediately. And what I'm going to do, that's

[A]

the thing with these costumes right where I saw firsthand. I just went on vacation with my kids, and there was, like, these characters and costumes walking around this place. And kids love it. Okay? They love it. It's like they just immediately feel safe going up to an adult dressed in. In, like, a fluffy costume. Because it's. It's just something that I think as parents, we've almost trained our kids to do. Like, we're at the mall and, you know, the Cookie Monster is there, and it's like, oh, it's Cookie Monster. Go say hi to the Cookie Monster, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny. You know, things like that. That's how they're growing up to think that that's a safe thing. Whereas adults, given the context, we're like, this is not a safe thing. This is weird. I don't care what this person's intention is. What you're doing is weird.

[B]

Oh, yeah, we have to.

[A]

You need to stop.

[B]

You definitely need to stop. And we're gonna put it out on our. Our social media. If you're following us on Instagram, you'll see it's gonna be. We want people to be aware of this because more people should know about it. So again, it'll be out on our social media now as of this day. But if you see this video, I'm hoping if there's an update, I'll put it in the caption that this person has been identified. But you said there was another case that you felt was similar to this. I'm not aware of it. You just kind of alluded to it. I want to talk about that, but let's take a break. We'll be right back.

[A]

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[B]

What does that even mean?

[A]

You know, pretty packaging, trendy ingredients, promises nobody can actually explain. And at a certain point, when you keep trying things and buying things and seeing stuff that's, like, trendy, you have to ask yourself, is this stuff even doing anything?

[B]

Yeah, let's be honest. And no shade at anybody, but some of these products out there, they're made by influencers or famous people. And, you know, there's a lot of marketing put behind it, but you have to wonder about the research. But when it comes to one skin, it was developed by researchers, and one

[A]

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[B]

Yeah, exactly. It's designed to strengthen the skin barrier and support collagen at the cellular level instead of just temporarily smoothing things over.

[A]

And honestly, yes, I, I think that this stuff works. Not only does it simplify my routine, but their products lay easily. They're gentle and sensitive skin, which I have. I really, really, really love their eye cream. I talk about it all the time. I use it all the time. In fact, I'm mad because I didn't get my auto ship this month because my credit card, I, I want to say it got stolen, but it didn't get stolen. I lost it.

[B]

Okay, well, at least you're honest.

[A]

But then I have to switch the number out in all of my like subscriptions and I never do that.

[B]

Not good. You missed it.

[A]

So now I don't have it when I really want it. And I really, I do really want it. I don't like that. I, I don't have much left, so.

[B]

Well, listen, for the people out there who are thinking about it. Researchers earlier. There's a lot of research behind One Skin as well.

[A]

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[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And the charges obviously related to the sightings included making false reports, threats, chasing people. So as this is kind of going on, you're hearing more and more people on social media saying, oh, I'm seeing a clown here. Now you don't know which ones are real or which ones are people kind of just taking advantage of clown sightings. Yeah. Or just people doing it for social media clout. Like, hey, hey Mark, my friend, dress up in a clown costume and I'm going to take a picture of you acting creepy in the woods. And I'm going to post on social media.

[B]

Yep. And see people's reactions. Yeah, Stephanie, that's a dangerous game to play these days.

[A]

Right?

[B]

That's a d. I wouldn't. We're talking about a lot tonight. I wouldn't recommend anybody and someone who has a teenager don't Be out there messing with people for Tick Tock videos. Because we've seen since situations where you choose the wrong person and they end up defending themselves and someone can end up dead. So not a game you want to play.

[A]

Have you ever seen those videos where people dress up like they look like creepy and then they're like rushing into elevators where people are and like, scaring them?

[B]

I've seen a lot of that stuff, and it's not. It. It's gonna. There's gonna be a tragedy for sure.

[A]

Yes, I. If there, I'm surprised there hasn't been already.

[B]

There has been one. I don't know the name of it. It was a Tick Tock video. A guy was doing it and someone was shot. Someone was shot because they were messing around with this guy. And yeah, it was. It was not good.

[A]

Yeah. So I mean, what it ends up looking like, because we're obviously, you know, a good 10 years past 2016, it ends up looking like that original Green Bay, Wisconsin sighting was like a marketing stunt for an indie horror film called Gags. Okay, so not anything nefarious on its own there. And then a lot of the other clowns were pranksters, social media people, local teenagers, aspiring Tick Tock content people. But then there was a small, dangerous minority that consisted of actual criminals who were using the anonymous nature of this clown mask and clown costume to commit crimes, to chase people with weapons or make anonymous threats against schools and children. So. So once again, it kind of boils down to yes. The whole point of this costume is it could be. Oh, it's just. Maybe it's a Pink Panther marketing thing. No, I don't think.

[B]

This definitely isn't for sure. The costume isn't even that nice. It looks like, tattered and beat up.

[A]

It looks pretty bad. Looks like something you just kind of found in a garbage maybe. Right?

[B]

That's why I'm leaning, by the way. It's not like I'm trying to target a specific group. That's why I'm leaning towards someone who. Who may be homeless, who may have found this and threw it on. Thought it was funny. Maybe they were scaring the children. We need to find out what they were doing and where they got it from.

[A]

That's where it comes down to this. Small percentage of these clown people were actual criminals or unstable individuals that were using, hiding, being covered up by the costume to pretty much be like, hey, I. I'm not Clark Kent anymore. I'm Superman. I can do whatever the hell I want. And so that's what we have to be concerned about. And because I don't think this Pink Panther thing falls in the other two categories of a marketing thing or a copycat, because there's no Pink Panther copycatting thing to do here. It seems to be something that we really need to take seriously and get to the bottom of.

[B]

Yeah, especially with the allegations that they were trying to grab kids. I mean, yeah, overall, it's. It's not a good situation, and it's not something that anybody should take lightly. But there is a possibility that when they find this person again without seeing the reports of what actually occurred, from what we're hearing, they tried to grab a kid. And so I'm going to take them at their word. That's a problem. That could be a charge right there. But we need to identify this person, like I said before, figure out who they are, their past, any issues they've had, where they're from, all these different things. Let them tell their side of the story. But it's concerning on the surface because I think about this person being somewhere that's more secluded, maybe not on a main road. And if nobody's watching and they run into a child, what's going to happen then?

[A]

Well, if you do it in broad daylight, when, you know, people are driving by and people are watching and people are taking videos, then what's complete disregard

[B]

for what anybody thinks.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

And that's the concern. Like, if nobody else is around, or in that instance that you brought up there, where you have those multiple children there, where they were able to help the smallest one, what if it's only a solo child? What if they're by themselves? So it is definitely concerning. And I think I do have a hot take about costumes and masks in general. I want to take the break and then we could talk about it, because I have a feeling you may not agree with me, and I have a

[A]

feeling that maybe I probably will. If you have a hot take about masking costumes, I'm probably going to agree with you, because I do, too.

[B]

Maybe you guys out there won't agree with me, but I want to talk about it because this is a perfect segue to discuss it, because I've always felt this way. But let's take our last break, and we'll be right back. Okay, we're back from break, and again, I might get some heat for this one. I'm fine with it. And there may even be some constitutional issues with it. I'm just speaking out loud with you guys. There's a circle of trust and we're talking, you know, Covid happened. And obviously we had to take some precautions there because of, you know, there was the report that it was airborne and all. That's a whole different conversation. Right. Because a lot of the masks people were using were not protecting them anyways. But there's something to be said about people covering up their face in public situations. Now, let me just put it out there. If you have a medical condition or something of that, and you need an immune.

[A]

Your immune complex. Yeah.

[B]

And you need to wear a mask, I'm all for it. Maybe there's something that can be given by a doctor where you can carry a card to let them know, like, you need to do this for your health.

[A]

But there was a lot of people, Derek, who weren't just wearing a mask during that time. They were wearing a mask like that covered their full face. They had their hoods on. These were the people that were taking advantage of the COVID situation.

[B]

Right.

[A]

To. To mask their faces and then do whatever they wanted. This is not. This is a different thing.

[B]

And this has been going on even before COVID Right. Because even now you'll have people who are wearing masks or even around Halloween. Not just Halloween, but like the month of October and into November where people are wearing. They're covering their faces. And I can just speak about myself. Those situations have always concerned me because I'm going to ask the natural question, why are they covering their face? It's, you know, 70, 80, 90 degrees outside and they're even. Even. They're just wearing a small mask, not a full costume, which is an obvious red flag. I have always gotten concerned in those environments because it makes me wonder what their intention is do. Are they. Are their immune systems compromised? Are they trying to do something that they don't want their identity to be revealed? And as a former cop might, I always go to worst case scenario, like, are they about to pull out a gun on us? You know, I don't know. And what do you. What's your first thoughts on that before we keep going?

[A]

I mean, for me, it's not even about like medical masks. Like, if it's not Halloween, there is absolutely no reason for you to be out in public wearing a costume or a mask of any kind. Get the hell out. What are you doing? If it is not Halloween, you need to go back home and put on normal people clothes. Because I, I am not comfortable with this. Because if I see anybody wearing like a mask or a costume and it's like August or March and you're walking about in the public, I immediately think you're up to no good.

[B]

Right. And you know, there's going to be marketing stunts and things like that. That's cool. Because here's the thing.

[A]

If it's in a dedicated place where you're aware that's happening.

[B]

Yeah. If you're standing outside of people like

[A]

a place and you're at a Comic Con. If I'm at a Comic Con and I'm walking around the city where Comic Con is happening. Yeah. I'm gonna expect to see that. Right. I'm gonna expect to see people dressed up like Zelda or Link. You know, that's.

[B]

That's what I may be dressed up as. Iron Man.

[A]

Yeah, exactly. That's fine. That's fun. But if it's just a. Right, there's nothing. There's no event happening. There's not like a dedicated thing that I'm aware is happening. I'm suspicious. I'm unsettled.

[B]

Definitely.

[A]

I don't want to be around you.

[B]

I got a ton of masks at my house. I posted on Instagram a couple times. I love the masks. I have all the Marvel and DC masks.

[A]

They're fun.

[B]

But.

[A]

But you're not walking to the store and buying milk.

[B]

Correct. And I. I'm interested to hear the general take on this from you guys. I just think if you're out in public and you don't have a medical condition or it's not a marketing thing where you have a permit for it and you're not in a public area where everyone can see you, I. I think there should be. You know, it's not going to be a law that gets passed, but like a city ordinance where you're not allowed to wear a mask unless you have some type of medical documentation supporting why you would need to wear that mask, I think it makes people uncomfortable. And, yeah, there is a constitutional side to it where on the surface, you can wear whatever you want, but I'll also say you can't walk into a public place naked. That's a crime.

[A]

You can't technically wear whatever.

[B]

Exactly. So there are restrictions. And maybe, Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe everyone's going to come at us and say, stephanie and Derek, you're wrong. But I think most people ask yourself, truly, when someone walks in and they look relatively healthy and they're wearing a mask and it's. They're in a T shirt. Right. Are you concerned? Or is it something where you're like, ah, I'm just kind of used to it now. After, you know, post Covid doesn't really bother me.

[A]

See for that. It really, it doesn't bother me if it doesn't feel like they're trying to conceal more. Like, if you don't have like one of those masks where it's like hiding everything but your eyes and you have your hood pulled up, like. And I saw plenty of that during COVID and that made me. And there were reports of many people using that anonymous nature to commit crimes. So I don't think you're trying to protect your health at that point. I think you're trying to hide your identity. Yeah, but, yeah, just a normal, like, what do they call N95.

[B]

Yeah, the little paper. The little paper mask.

[A]

Yeah. You don't have a hood up. I can see your eyes, you know, like now that is true.

[B]

That is a good point. Like totality, right? Like, and also I feel like I have to qualify everything. If I see 70, 80 year old little woman coming in with her mask on, I'm not like, oh, she's probably gonna be the next shooter, you know, Like, I use common sense too. Right? But you're right. If you see bigger guy come in there, he's got a mask on, he's got a hood up, and it's 85 degrees outside and he's got a backpack on. The mask really, really concerns me where without the mask, the backpack wouldn't be as concerning. But when you're covering up your identity, I do ask myself naturally, why don't this, why doesn't this person want me to see their face? Could be completely innocent.

[A]

I think a backpack is concerning to me all the time now too. What is up with that? Like, I'm nervous about that.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I wear a bat, you know, I wear a backpack. I, I have a backpack everywhere I go. If you see me at crime count, I got a backpack on. Or a backpack.

[A]

Yeah, but if you're traveling or whatever. But if you're just like walking into, into a store.

[B]

Yeah, that's true.

[A]

You know, like true. Why do you have a backpack on?

[B]

No, it's, it's definitely totality. But to bring it back to these, to more. The more extreme, what we're talking about tonight, this Pink Panther thing, guys walking around, grown adults walking around in costumes. This seems like it could be something more nefarious. But we have seen the Tiktoks and the Instagram reels where people are dressing up in costumes and scaring people. It's something that needs to be regulated because it gives those people who have ill intentions, opportunities to disguise themselves. And that's concerning.

[A]

But yeah, you might be just be trying to have fun, but some people ruin the fun for.

[B]

Exactly. And someone could see it not as fun, and you could end up getting hurt. Can you give them the. Could you give them the call to action one more time on the Pink Panther thing where they can go. We'll end it with that. Where if you guys see this person, by all means call in. Or if you think you know who the person is, please call in. It's. It's better to identify them sooner than later.

[A]

Anyone who has seen or interacted with the suspect is urged to contact the Fredericksburg Police Department at 540-373-3122. To make an anonymous tip, you can text 847-411 and text FP followed by the tip or download the free FPD Tip app available for Android and iPhone.

[B]

Okay. And to end this episode on a positive note, we have one more birthday. Shout out, Patreon. Shout out. Alyssa Glavin.

[A]

May 30th.

[B]

May 30th. I think I can say that. Not your. I won't say your year. Stephanie, give him the horoscope real quick.

[A]

Well, I mean, listen, this is. Alyssa's a Gemini. So I love. I love me a Gemini. Some of my longest relationships and my best relationships are with Geminis. My sister Samantha, her birthday's May 24th. She's a Gemini. My mother's a Gemini. And, you know, a lot. They get bad. They get bad reps. Okay. They get the whole, like, oh, two personalities, like, duality thing, which. Yeah, that's true. But listen, Aquarius and Geminis get along very, very well. They do have a tendency, I think more so June Geminis to kind of have that duality. But most of my Geminis are made Geminis like Alyssa. And I just think they're creative. They can get very focused on things. They have a great, like, personal drive. Yes. They can be a little flighty sometimes, but so. So can I. Okay. So can I. And I'm. I'm totally okay with that. I love my air signs. Geminis are great. You might think Aquarius is a water sign because they're the water bearer, but Aquarius is an air sign, so I love my air signs. And so happy birthday, Alyssa. We appreciate you. We appreciate you being a part of Patreon and love me some Gemini.

[B]

Happy birthday, Alyssa. Yeah, and Patreon is. Is because we're building it right now. It's been popping in there in the discussion boards. We got multiple chats going on. We release our episodes early and ad free. So if you're someone who doesn't like the ads, both audio and video, you'll get them ad free. If it's not something you want to deal with, you don't have to anymore. We also have Crime Weekly plus on Apple podcast, where if you want to go on there and get the episodes ad free, you can do that as well. Plus, probably the biggest plus about Patreon and Crime Weekly plus, it's not the discussion, it's not the cameos or birthday shout outs, it's the bonus episodes. We've already done two. They've been really fascinating cases and you can get access to them either through Patreon or Crime Weekly Plus. And here's the best part. If you're a Spotify user, but you have the Patreon account, it integrates right with it, so you can go on your Spotify and it automatically links your Patreon account. So you don't even have to go on Patreon. If you want the free episodes, it's really cool. If you want to check it out, head over our Patreon. I think you're going to love it. You can even do a free trial to check it out without any cost at first. You get a lot of value out of it. So we'd love to have you in the discussion chats. That's going to do it for us. We'll be back later this week with Carrie Farver. Part three going to be a good one. I think this is our last part. We got one more after this, one

[A]

more part after this.

[B]

We got part three. The case is crazy right now. The twists and turns are insane.

[A]

Remember at the end of part two, you were like, like, this is where it should be ending, but it's just beginning, you know?

[B]

Here we are, you're telling me there's a part four. So now my head's already thinking, like, okay, what else could happen where we need a part 4? But here we are. We appreciate the love and support, guys. We'll see you later this week. Be safe out there. Talk to you soon.

[A]

Bye.