Found In Pieces, Never To Fly Again

Ya gotta question the wisdom of someone who would steal a blimp... especially as the term "quick getaway" doesn't exactly apply. Nevertheless, a 24-foot-long unmanned advertising blimp released over two weeks ago from the roof of a Southern California coffeehouse has been recovered... in pieces, never to fly again.

The Los Angeles Daily News reports surveillance video shows four intruders -- three men and a woman, believed to be teenagers 18-20 years old -- climbing up a stairwell after hours at a West Coast Coffee Company franchise in Canyon Country, CA sometime between July 13 and 19.

LA County Sheriff's Department detective Steve McCauley believes the foursome -- who remain at large -- released the orange-and-white blimp, although he isn't sure whether they then took the airship or simply released it from its moorings.

"These guys don't look like the criminals of the century," McCauley said. "They were probably just being mean - or just stupid - but the thing did cost $3,000. That's substantial for a small-business owner."

The blimp was recovered in Agua Dulce Wednesday.

FMI: www.lasd.org/, www.westcoastcoffee.net/