Chocolate bunny used as weapon in Brandon store theft

Source: BPS News Release

On March 31, 2022, police responded to a report of a suspect who was attempting to steal merchandise at a business in the 3400 block of Victoria Ave at approximately 4:00 pm.  An employee of the business confronted the 27-year-old male suspect, but was assaulted when the suspect struck the employee with a “Mr. Solid” chocolate bunny.  The victim sustained minor injuries as a result of the assault.

The suspect fled the business, but was located and arrested nearby.  He was still in possession of stolen merchandise, which was returned to the business.  He was later released and will appear in court on June 2, 2022 on charges of Assault and Theft Under $5000.

Edit:  This is NOT an April Fool’s Day joke.  While the weapon of choice in this case may have been atypical of what a suspect would normally use, it does not change the fact that retail employees face a daily challenge when dealing with theft.  Suspects who steal from businesses can often be unpredictable and violent towards employees, and in some cases they may use whatever weapon is available to them at the time.