A 60-year-old kilt-wearing man in Texas was arrested last week after he was caught on surveillance footage from an antique shop allegedly grabbing several items off of the shelves and ‘placing’ those items ‘in his rectum,’ before returning them to the shelves. Mitchell C. Vest was taken into custody on one count of criminal mischief in connection with the bizarre allegations, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Harris County Constable Precinct 4 Office, deputies on Thursday, Feb. 15 received calls from “multiple concerned citizens” regarding an adult male who they said was “observed selecting items from multiple vendors at an Antique Mall Outlet and placing the selected items in his rectum.”
“The male was then observed removing the items and placing them back on the shelves,” the constable said.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime identified some of the items allegedly tainted by Vest’s actions as a makeup brush, a “Restoration hardware piece,” an antique bottle opener, and a “tobacco tent can.”
The incidents allegedly occurred at two different shops — the Antique Gallery of Houston and The Curiosity Shop, both of which are on Towne Drive in Spring, Texas — on the afternoon of Feb. 10, authorities said.
Per the affidavit, the owner of the Antique Gallery told deputies that she witnessed Vest pick up the makeup brush and hardware piece, “shove both items up his anus, then return the items to the shelf.” She said the value of the damaged items was $130. The owner of the Curiosity Shop on Feb. 10 reported to deputies that she had reviewed security footage showing a man matching Vest’s description doing the same thing with the bottle opener and tent can, noting that her damages were $74.
“Both Complainants advised they had to throw away the items that were used in this incident due to feces (being) on them,” the affidavit states. “Both provided the video surveillance of the incidents, and both wished to pursue charges.”
Susan Golden, the manager of Antique Gallery, told Houston NBC affiliate KPRC that she believed she had seen Vest in the establishment prior to the alleged Feb. 10 incident, with employees telling her that he’d previously spent “hours” shopping around the store.
“I was just really in shock,” Golden told the station. “I just didn’t really know what to say or think.”
Vest was released from the Harris County Jail on Friday after posting a personal bond of $100. It is not clear when he is scheduled to appear in court.
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