Suspected Birch Bay candy thief misses ‘all the good homemade stuff,’ The C Shop says
A suspected thief from Bellingham allegedly broke into The C Shop late last week, but the iconic Birch Bay candy shop reports he missed out on the good stuff.
“It seems that some fellow was in such desperate need of candy because we haven’t been open, that he broke down the door to get some taffy and sour patch kids,” The C Shop wrote in a July 31 Facebook post. “He missed out on all the good homemade stuff that was on the lower shelf of the display case!”
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office booked Samuel Matamua, 38, into Whatcom County Jail Friday on suspicion of second-degree burglary, and jail records show he is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.
At approximately 7:30 a.m. Friday, deputies were called for a report of a burglary in process at The C Shop, after a witness reported seeing a man kicking in the front door of the business, entering and leaving with what appeared to be a big bag of candy, sheriff’s office spokesperson Deb Slater told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
At approximately 10:30 a.m., another 911 caller reported seeing a man who matched the description of the man who had broken into The C Shop in the 7800 block of Birch Bay Drive, Slater reported.
Deputies found Matamua, who admitted to entering the store and taking candy, taffy, chocolate and a big lollipop, Slater wrote, adding that some of the items were found in a backpack he was carrying.
“While it is disappointing that someone broke the door, it is heartwarming to have so many people looking out for the good of The C Shop,” the business reported on Facebook in the post that included a picture of the damaged door and had 275 reactions, 54 comments and 18 shares.
In a June 26 post, The C Shop, which has been closed during the coronavirus pandemic, said it would not open until Whatcom County is “well into Phase 3 and the Canadian border reopens.”
