Hooters is supposed to be a place of joy.
But even the happiest places on Earth can sometimes attract bad apples.
And that’s what this Florida Highway Patrolman who got caught committing an unbelievable act inside of Hooters is now being accused of.
When police officers in Daytona Beach, Florida responded to a burglary alarm call at a local Hooters after 1:00 A.M. on March 28, they discovered that one of the restaurant’s windows had been smashed, and that a Dodge truck was parked behind the building.
Upon further investigation, the officers discovered Florida Highway Patrolman David Ryan Baker loading items from the Hooters into the truck, and approached him to ask what he was doing.
Baker claimed that he’d just left a friend’s house and needed a place to use the bathroom, but refused to give any information on the friend before changing his story to claim he was merely looking for something to eat and just didn’t notice the two open convenience stores just 500 feet away from the Hooters.
Needless to say, his fellow law enforcement officers weren’t exactly buying his story.
But once the Hooters’ manager arrived on the scene to provide the officers with surveillance footage, it became clear to them exactly what had transpired.
“In the video, Baker was seen walking around the parking lot,” the Daytona Beach News Journal reported. “Then at 1 a.m., a cinder block is seen smashing through the window. Ten minutes later, Baker entered the restaurant.”
For some reason, Baker broke into the restaurant, grabbed a bucket and flashlight, and went behind the bar to steal four beer taps, causing an estimated $2,000 in damage in the process.
The police officers proceeded to find the beer taps in Baker’s Dodge truck, and arrested him on felony burglary charges, which immediately triggered his termination from the Florida Highway Patrol.
“The allegations against Mr. David Baker does not reflect the core values of the Florida Highway Patrol,” Florida Highway Patrol wrote in a statement on Baker’s arrest and subsequent firing. “FHP is an institution dedicated to serving and protecting the public, and integrity is the foundation of our professionalism and credibility. Due to the serious nature of the recent allegations, the Executive Director issued an extraordinary dismissal, thereby terminating his employment immediately.”
As of now, there doesn’t appear to be any explanation for why Baker chose to throw a cinder block through the window of a Hooters and steal their beer taps.
But whatever the reason for his actions, David Baker is clearly now paying the price.
Political Animal News will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
