Lugnuts help recover stolen clubhouse items

Peter Bayer walked into the visiting clubhouse in Lansing two weeks ago to settle in for the final game of a four-game series and found something was missing.
Actually, several things were missing. The 23-year-old reliever and his teammates, fellow Rays prospects with Class A Bowling Green, noticed sunglasses and other valuables had vanished.

"People noticed they were missing sunglasses," he said. "Some were missing hats and things like that. There was actually a GoPro that was missing. A bunch of stuff got stolen."
Who would break into a Minor League clubhouse and take personal items before a game? It was a question that irked Hot Rods players for a week, until someone noticed a curious photo posted to Instagram on April 26. The image showed a young, well-dressed, smiling couple embracing in the outfield of Lansing's ballpark, Cooley Law School Stadium. The caption? A possible confession to larceny.
"We snuck into the locker room and may or may not have swiped a couple of Oakleys, but it's fine, we're fine," the photo's caption said. The image and the account have since been deleted.
Bayer couldn't believe it.
"It's hilarious how someone -- like, why would you do that?" Bayer said. "The funny part is they were bragging about it on the post. All the comments where like, 'Oh, this is so cool! Such a cute picture!' Are you kidding me? No one said anything about this being a crime?"
The bizarre incident and photo led Lansing staff to investigate and eventually recover some of the stolen items. Hot Rods media relations director Alex Cohen said the Lugnuts returned some of the stolen items when the team traveled to Bowling Green last week, and any items not found would be reimbursed.

"Some of the valuables have been recovered," Cohen said last week. "The other valuables that were deemed missing, the Lansing front office will continue working to find." 
Lansing Police said the Lugnuts asked an officer for help in tracking down the individuals pictured but declined to pursue criminal charges or file a complaint -- the suspects are believed to be students at a nearby university and reportedly were visiting the stadium for a fraternity event. The Lugnuts preferred to settle the matter civily.
The incident was first reported by Barstool Sports in a story that inaccurately indicated suspects had been arrested; Lansing Police said it had no record of that occurring. In fact, no police report had been filed, although a team source earlier described it as an "active ongoing investigation."
"No calls for service were dispatched to the stadium for theft," said Lansing police officer Robert Merritt.
Lugnuts general manager Nick Grueser said Monday the matter had been resolved but declined further comment.
Bowling Green's general manager, Eric Leach, said his team had been in contact with Lansing as the search for the items escalated.
"The only information that we have is what is being told to us through Lansing," said Leach last week. "Outside of that is pure speculation in the media reports."
Either way, the Hot Rods feel better about things now.
"Everyone's getting their glasses back or getting reimbursed, so we're all good," Bayer said.