The Great Ice Chest Caper

Port Townsend Leader
August 2, 2023 Page A-17
Theft of produce sours pickleball play

The Great Ice Chest Caper
Pickleball Players Fall Victim to a Bizarre Theft in Port Townsend

Port Townsend, WA - On Thursday, July 20, a seemingly ordinary day of pickleball drills took a bizarre turn when a woman brazenly stole a 3-gallon Coleman blue ice chest, packed with fresh organic produce, from under a tree in front of a Volkswagen belonging to Hope Borsato, a local pickleball enthusiast. The incident occurred at the Jefferson County Courthouse (Drone Video) pickleball courts in Port Townsend, WA.

Hope Borsato and her pickleball partner, Jack Olmsted, were engrossed in their cross court dinking drill session when they noticed a woman behaving strangely near Hope's car. The woman was repeatedly coming in and out of her white van, which had a dog sitting in the front seat. Unbeknownst to Hope and Jack, this woman had apparently come from the County Courthouse nearby.

As the woman's white van turned right from Cass Street onto Washington Street, Hope couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. She turned to Jack and expressed her suspicions, saying, "I think that woman just took my ice chest." The pair kept a watchful eye as the van slowly glided down the hill.

Curiosity got the better of Hope, and she decided to investigate the situation further. Leaving the pickleball court, she rushed to her car only to discover that her ice chest was indeed missing. Not only did the thief make off with the ice chest, but also on top of it were 8 beautiful sunflowers that Hope had thoughtfully placed in a mason jar.

Inside the ice chest, the thief found a treasure trove of fresh produce, including 4 kohlrabi, 2 large scallion bunches, a large bag of salad greens, 4 pounds of new red potatoes, 6 zucchinis, and 8 pickling cucumbers. It was evident that the thief had stolen much more than just a plastic ice chest.

Hope had intended to give the mason jar brimming with smiling sunflowers, as a kind gesture, to her drilling partner. It was a thoughtful gesture gone awry, leaving both players stunned by the audacity of the theft.

Later that night, Hope took action and called 911 to file an official incident report with the County Sheriff's office, hoping the stolen property would be returned.

Authorities are now investigating the strange case of the stolen ice chest and its peculiar contents. The wheels are in place that will allow them to review the Courthouse single entrance surveillance footage to identify the culprit.

As the story spreads throughout the local community, many residents are left scratching their heads at the bizarre nature of the theft. The Jefferson County Courthouse pickleball courts, once a peaceful spot for leisurely games, are now a subject of concern for players and visitors alike.

Hope and Jack continued to play pickleball despite the incident, but the memory of the ice chest caper remains fresh in their minds. For now, the residents of Port Townsend can only hope that justice will prevail, and the stolen ice chest returned to their rightful owner.