A woman from Sacramento in California has been arrested for trying to steal 65 Stanley cups worth $2,500.
The 23-year-old woman was apprehended by local police trying to make a getaway after rushing out of a shop with her loot.
In a post on Facebook, City of Roseville, California Police Department said staff saw a woman take a shopping cart full of Stanley water bottles without paying for them.
“The suspect refused to stop for staff and stuffed her car with the stolen merchandise,” the post added. “An officer spotted the suspect vehicle as it entered Highway 65 from Galleria Blvd and initiated a traffic stop.”
A subsequent search of her vehicle resulted in the recovery of 65 Stanley products.
Stanley cups have been a viral hit on TikTok this year, with the #Stanleycup hashtag racking up more than seven billion views across the world. In addition, people have been queuing at stores in the US to get their hands on a cup, especially the Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler.
While Stanley cups have been around since 1913 – they were invented by a William Stanley Jr – the reusable cups have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among Gen Zs, who like them for their sustainability.
They have been also helped by marketing campaigns on TikTok in recent years that have raised the profile of the business, which is on course to see its revenues hit $750 million this year – more than 10 times what it was in 2020.
This isn’t the first attempt at stealing one of the cups; another recent viral video showed a man jumping a Starbucks counter to try and steal a limited edition hot pink version.
But, as the Roseville Police noted: “While Stanley Quenchers are all the rage, we strongly advise against turning to crime to fulfil your hydration habits.”
