North Euclid Avenue
March 3, 6:17 a.m.
A random male deviously snatched a ball from a pair of University of Arizona students playing catch, and then—when the students realized he meant to steal their ball—offered them a handful of Jolly Ranchers candy as "payment" for it, according to a UA Police Department report.
The two UA students, both males, told a UA officer they'd been tossing a football back and forth inside the lobby of the Hub At Tucson apartments, 1011 N. Tyndall Ave., while waiting for the elevator. But before they could get an elevator, they said, a strange man—apparently not a student—appeared and beckoned for them to toss him the ball, which they did.
The stranger then reportedly exited the lobby, initially making the reportees think he wanted to continue playing catch with them outside—until he kept walking way, still carrying the ball.
They said they followed the subject outside and demanded he return the ball, or at least pay them for it, at which point he dug into his pocket and offered them a handful of Jolly Rancher candies. When he saw the students weren't satisfied with that "payment," he kept walking away from them, "clutching the ball fiercely" as they tried to pry it from his hands.
Just before all three males got into a big fight, UA officers appeared on the scene and detained the football thief, making him sit on the ground. The man declined to give his real name—insisting he be called "Superman" (he was wearing a Superman T-shirt)—while unwrapping a Jolly Rancher and shoving it into his mouth.
Finally he provided his real name and gave up the football so it could be returned to its rightful owners, who decided not to press charges against him.
