So, this shoplifting bird walks into a store in Manistee, MI -- Really?

Here's a story and photo I just received in an email.

A seagull in Manistee, Mi has developed the habit of stealing Doritos from a neighborhood convenience store. The seagull waits until the manager isn't looking, and then walks into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos. Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds. The seagull's shoplifting started early this month when he first swooped into the store in Manistee, Michigan, and helped himself to a bag of Doritos. Since then, he's become a regular. He always takes the same type of chips.

The manager thinks it's great because people are coming to watch the feathered thief make the daily grab and run, and that's good for business, and especially since customers have begun paying for the seagull's stolen bags of Doritos because they think it's so funny.  However, the manager did say, "This is  Michigan, and if that seagull starts to grab a 6-pack of 'Bud' to go along with the Doritos, I may have to put a stop to it."

I always check the Snopes.com website for stories like this and you can read all about it here -- seagullibitity. At Snopes you can view a video of this thieving little seagull. You'll also read the true version of this story and see that much of the email I received is not accurate. It is a cute story however, and who doesn't think this little bird is cute?
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More funny animal stories: Dogs: Funny Side Up!

Comments

[Harvey Shepherd]

Hahaha, yeah, that is both funny and cute. The email story is much more amusing, though it would be a real nuisance if there were to be a bunch of birds stealing merchandise from a store, and not being able to press charges. Heh, well, at least the even wasn't like Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.

[Fernando Severns]

Haha! It’s funny that the owner just let those seagulls steal food from the convenience store. Maybe because it somehow attracts more customers to go there as people want to witness the birds' funny act. The business still benefits from them. Haha. Not bad! :)

[MJ Harris]

How much can they eat anyway? LOL

[Odessa Hanton]

If I were the store owner, I’ll probably do the same – let the bird do what is usually does. Why? Because it can be a creative marketing strategy and it can generate a buzz for the store. Eventually, their store will be famous in the area. By the way, thanks for sharing the footage of this scene.