Thief in US robs waterside Disney restaurant in swimming cap & goggles, allegedly escapes by diving into water

Thief robs waterside Disney restaurant in strange outfit before allegedly diving away

While most thieves rely on a quick getaway car, one thief in the United States (US) reportedly made a splash with his escape plan — robbing a waterside restaurant at Disney Springs before allegedly diving into the water in scuba gear.

According to authorities, cash was stolen during the incident, though the exact amount remains unclear.

WKMG-TV reported that the robbery happened just after midnight on Monday (15 Sept) at Paddlefish, a popular restaurant in Disney Springs, Florida.

Suspect caught on CCTV in bizarre outfit

At 12.10am, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a robbery.

Victims told police that a man had broken in after hours, taken money, and fled.

Security camera images show the suspect in an unusual get-up — a black swimming cap, goggles, blue rubber gloves and dressed head-to-toe in what appears to be a black wetsuit.

He was even seen spray-painting over the cameras before making his move.

More unusually, the victims reported that the suspect was not wearing any shoes, only socks.

Victims ordered to ‘get down & close their eyes’

One employee who was finishing up for the night said the intruder told them to “get down and close their eyes” as he forced entry. They had been in the process of placing cash into a safe.

Witnesses described the man as being around 72kg and around 177cm tall, according to local news site Wesh.com.

Authorities confirmed that no one was injured. The suspect was not armed and did not imply he had a weapon.

Court documents list two charges: Robbery and grand theft, with an estimated sum of between US$10,000–20,000 (S$12,800–25,600) stolen.

Some reports, citing anonymous sources, even claim the victims were tied up before the thief fled.

Made a splash with getaway

Though details are scarce, authorities suspect the man escaped by diving into the water next to the restaurant and swimming away.

Investigations are ongoing.