Florida Man Arrested For Stealing Justin Bieber Cutout From Record Store

When you get arrested for jacking a life-size cardboard cutout of Justin Bieber from a record store, your excuse better be that you have a sick little sister who is a huge fan of The Biebs and you were stealing it in order to put a smile on her precious little face. Instead, a young man in Florida was looking to have a little fun by “holding Justin Bieber hostage.” Stealing a Justin Bieber cutout is not typical behavior of a man over 18. Maybe it is for a girl under 14, but not the other way around.
The Smoking Gun reports that David Dowling, 23, was arrested in Florida for lifting a Bieber display from an FYE retail location in the Bradenton mall on Saturday, Aug. 13. He and a pal passed the point of sale without paying for it, authorities said. The Biebs cutout has a $34.99 price tag, so it wasn’t like Dowling and his lackey were stealing a promotional item, either.
The duo hotfooted it through Sears with their partner-in-crime, a replica of The Biebs. The cameras in the Sears caught them on tape, trying to make a clean getaway.
The brave (and female) assistant manager of the FYE gave chase and eventually apprehended the perps, reclaimed possession of the cutout and asked the pair to return to the store. They instead fled, but were found hiding behind the bushes outside of the mall like any savvy criminal with the brain power to outsmart the authorities would.
Dowling and his fellow thief were arrested, while the other person’s name was not released as they are likely a minor. Dowling was slapped with a misdemeanor charge and remained in jail in lieu of the $120 bond.
Usually, an arrest record comes with a specific stigma. Imagine if Dowling goes for a job and is asked why he has a record and he says, “I stole a Justin Bieber cardboard cutout.”