Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Student stops theft while on vacation in California

By Sadie Hughes

Tera Zook stopped a theft while visiting Mission Beach on vacation in California during Utah State University’s spring break.

While lying on the beach with her aunt, Zook said she was surprised to see someone trying to steal a backpack from a few men who had left their belongings nearby.

Zook, a USU student, said she and her aunt had made friends with the two men who left their backpack behind.

“Their stuff was about ten feet away from ours, and they left it to go boogie boarding,” Zook said.

According to Zook, another man casually walked by the men’s belongings and picked up their backpack.

“He did it so casually that no one thought it was suspicious,” Zook said. “Except for me.”

Zook stood up and asked the man if the backpack belonged to him.

“Everyone on the beach stopped, turned around and looked at him,” Zook said.

The man replied to Zook that the backpack belonged to his friend, but Zook said she wasn’t convinced.

“That’s exactly what he would say if he were stealing it,” she said. “I asked him to point out who his friends were, and he got really mad.”

Zook said she told the man to put the bag back, so he threw it directly at her.

“That was fine because at least he didn’t steal it,” Zook said. “Our Arizona boys were super grateful.”

Zook’s aunt, Liz Zook, said she didn’t realize the situation until her niece stood and confronted the man.

“I ran straight to the guys in the water and told them someone almost stole their stuff,” Liz Zook said. “But my niece saved it.”

Liz Zook said she was scared and even shaking after the confrontation.

“It would’ve been nice to just hardcore chill the whole time,” Zook said. “That’s what we expected to do, but what kind of vacation is actually relaxing?”

Zook said she wished problems with stealing weren’t a problem in California, where she lives, but the experience made for a funny story to tell.

“Those are the things that will make this week memorable,” Zook said. “Tera was the hero of the day.”

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