Associated Press—(Ames, IA) Jeffrey Lapchick, 28, gets 10 years in Iowa State Penitentiary after confessing to putting soda in water cups at over fifteen establishments in the greater Ames, IA area.
Lapchick, a dropout of the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, had returned to Ames after being fired from his janitorial position at his former university. Mr. Lapchick was suspected of pulling his “soda in a water cup” act at the on-campus Taco Bell eatery. No formal charges were filed.
After an 8-month FBI investigation, officials set up a sting operation at an Ames Chipotle Mexican Grilll—a spot Lapchick was known to frequent—likely due to their water cups being similar in appearance to soft-drink cups. On December 24, 2012 upon receiving his water cup, Lapchick was spotted by undercover agents filling the drinking container with Sprite.
According to officials, after they swooped in, Lapchick reportedly yelled, “It’s water I swear! Look it’s clear! Take a sip if you don’t believe me, but I wouldn’t if I were you, I have a cold.”
Nancy Perkwiler, 46, witnessed the theft that finally brought Lapchick down. “The guy was yelling, ‘who has $1.99 to pay for soda? In this economy?!’” She recalled him shouting.
Lapchick, who was facing 30-40 years for his theft of tens of dollars of soda from restaurants across the Midwest, struck a deal with the FBI in exchange for a lesser sentence. “One condition of his plea deal is Mr. Lapchick must tell us how he did it so we know how to catch future crooks.” The agent continues, “So far he’s told us to target the restaurants that don’t give clear water cups as it is easier to conceal the stolen beverage in paper cups.” Additionally, the agent said of Lapchick’s advice, “a common beverage of choice for soda thieves is Sprite, due it its similar appearance to water.”
An official statement from an FBI spokesperson reads, “The FBI is proud of our arrest of one of the Midwest’s most notorious soda thieves. We hope this encourages people to think twice before putting anything besides good ol’ fashioned H20 in their free cup.”
Lapchick is expected to be released between 2021-2023.
(AP)




