People can’t stop stealing plastic table tents from Whataburger

The latest, hottest crime trend in Texas is happening at the burger chain Whataburger: people apparently can’t stop pilfering the plastic numbered table tents given to customers as they await their order. This is according to the venerable Wall Street Journal, which reports that folks are swiping the orange-and-white tents for a variety of reasons: their jersey number, their birthdate, a digit of significance. The story says Whataburger stores, especially near high schools, are losing tents so quickly that managers have to order a new set every month. A complete set is numbered from 1 to 96, and each tent costs 25 cents.

The problem has gotten so out of hand, that police are pulling over cars and making the thieves—mostly teenagers—return the plastic tents to the restaurant.