Normally, we find tales of merchandise crammed down shoplifters’ pants hilarious.  We were all ready to laugh at the story of a man who used similar methods to steal frozen steak and lobster from a Safeway…until we learned that he fled the scene by carjacking a vehicle with an elderly man and a 13-year-old girl inside, resulting in an Amber Alert.

We’ve shared with you stories of thieves who stuffed seafood, beef, steak and seafood, a turkey breast,  puppies, or a chainsaw down their pants, but didn’t get away with their daring plans or their ill-gotten merch.

This particular Safeway grocery store in Oakland, California doesn’t even normally carry steak and lobster. The items were in stock as part of a Valentine’s Day special, and the alleged thief took advantage of that.

The man attempted his theft shortly before 1 P.M. When a store employee spotted him, he ran outside and forced an older man in a vehicle outside to drive away. Witnesses reported that the suspect threatened the driver with a knife.

The car, which authorities say was a red or burgundy sedan with the California license plate number [redacted]. If you happen to see this vehicle, call 911 immediately.

Update, 2/13/14: Well, turns out that the people in the car may have been waiting for the man inside the store to finish his shopping trip. The Amber Alert is off.

Oakland Kidnapping Suspect Seen Stuffing Lobsters, Ribeye Down Pants Before Carjacking [CBS San Francisco]

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