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That's A Crime
A fascinating true crime podcast dissecting everything from a misdemeanor to a murder. Hosts: Jason Connell, award-winning documentary producer & true crime junkie, & Sal Rodriguez, comedian & toy expert/collector.
That's A Crime
Car Thief Caught Hiding In Giant Stuffed Teddy Bear (2022)
That's A Crime
Episode 48: Car Thief Caught Hiding In Giant Stuffed Teddy Bear (2022)
Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez break down the true crime story of the Car Thief Caught Hiding In Giant Stuffed Teddy Bear in 2022. In July 2022, 18-year-old, Joshua Dobson of Manchester, UK, was arrested for grand theft auto, driving on a suspended license, and leaving a gas station without paying. Authorities did manage to track Dobson to his home, but when they arrived Dobson was nowhere to be found. However, while searching his residence, police noticed that a giant stuffed teddy bear appeared to be breathing.
Recorded: 02-23-23
Studio: Just Curious Media
https://www.JustCuriousMedia.com/
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Whoa, just curious. Welcome to Just curious media. This is that's a crime. I'm Jason Connell.
Sal Rodriguez:And I'm Sal Rodriguez.
Jason Connell:All right sound we are back with another crime.
Sal Rodriguez:Yeah. And this one's a little bit lighter, a little bit lighter. I mean, you know, look, it involves a felony. But still, nobody dies.
Jason Connell:No spoilers.
Sal Rodriguez:I spoke here. Well, you know, every people here come out alive. And that's good. That's true.
Jason Connell:Because today we are breaking down the True Crime Story of the car thief caught hiding in giant stuffed teddy bear. And 2022. And I know what comes to mind right away. Is he driving around in a stiff teddy bear like Ted driving around? No, that's not what happens. But this popped up on my radar today. And I thought we've got to explore this more. And so here we are. Did you see the video of the said bear? Because that's kind of you have to see that at least the images? Well, yeah.
Sal Rodriguez:And then you see the newscasters. You know, almost the newscasters almost chuckling Yeah, they're questioning
Jason Connell:this. But yeah, this is a true story. And it does offset some of the darker crimes. And I thought it was funny, original, and it had some things pop in my mind movie references, which I think we can have some fun with here.
Sal Rodriguez:Yes, yes. Yeah. You know what I'm also reminded of, we were just talking about this off air before we got on here. The movie colors and the movie colors, love that Damon Wayans plays I think a guy on drugs in some sort of department store dancing in his underwear with some sort of giant teddy bear on his shoulders. Oh, it's Dancing Crazy. I think he's like on PCP or something. So yeah, I'm reminded of that. Yeah, Teddy, using a teddy bear in an inappropriate manner.
Jason Connell:Yeah, that movie colors that is I was working at a movie theater in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And I wasn't working one night. And the staff I remember, like hanging out and the parking lot. And our manager was like, Don't even hang out in the parking lot. There's definitely a gang. See, they're going to see the movie don't even be around. I was in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And they were taking it serious.
Sal Rodriguez:I was like, that's funny. They're going to see themselves in the movie.
Jason Connell:Like, wow. And it was also directed by Dennis Hopper, which was interesting. And I loved the movie rest in peace to this hopper. But yeah, I remember that vividly. Like I saw it after that was moved by and I revisited all the time. But good reference. I have some movie references of my own, which I'll save because let's get into the crime. Yes, I'm ready. So in July 2022 18 year old Joshua Dobson of Manchester, UK, so this is in the United Kingdom crossed the pond. So yes, was arrested for grand theft auto, also a very popular game, driving on a suspended license and leaving a gas station without pain. That's like the trifecta right there.
Sal Rodriguez:You would think that Grand Theft Auto will be enough?
Jason Connell:Yeah, no, no, no, I gotta push it. I do not have a good license. And you know what the awesome gas
Sal Rodriguez:also had an open container. Why not throw that in? Let's just do it.
Jason Connell:So this 18 year old kid, if he gets busted him doing these things, he's not going to see a real license for a long time. You do stuff like this. It's like you don't need a license kid. But he did it Mr. Dobson. So the authorities did manage to track Dobson down to his home they tracked him down found him but when they arrived, Dobson was nowhere to be found. So no, nowhere to be. Where was he? He could have been in his girlfriend's house. It could have been working. They can be playing soccer or football as they call it in the UK. That's correct. But no. While searching his residence, I wish there was video I mean, when I say video, it was just a video like people talking and then showing an image of the bear or like a bad video,
Sal Rodriguez:but it could have been like a stock image is that even the actual bear with something?
Jason Connell:Yeah, that's true. But while police were in the residence, they noticed an oversized stuffed bear appeared to be breathing. Little Darth Vader
Sal Rodriguez:was this before robotic AI? No, no, it could have been robotic AI but no.
Jason Connell:Well, this is a little creepy and hilarious sow and it quickly brings to mind just a few movies just to come Yes. Yes, EA T popped right in my mind. The Extraterrestrial when he's et who's super cute in the movie Love et but he's laying in a pile of dolls. And then like the mom comes in closet, she loves it and it's like, and couldn't spot and didn't know what to look for because it just took a bunch of dolls. Sure. It's funny. My sister one of my younger sisters. That was one time when she was a sitting there like thanks you it was like to at my grandparents house, and there was another doll next to her like they had this big kind of bigger doll and something else. And they came in the room and she was sitting there and they were thinking they were having like flashbacks of ET like we didn't even spot Katie right away. So that's pretty funny. But this is not that it just brought to mind because this is one bear that we know of breathing, but it's like it when he was hiding in plain sight, which that's what I love about it. Right. And then recently, we covered Megan, the new movie that's out. We covered the trailer on let's talk about please check that out on the episode hasn't even dropped yet. Or by the time this comes out, who knows? But we just covered it. And they did that same thing. And et they do like a panda tip of the hat. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Had to be. Yeah, so that was the same thing, but not this. And then of course, Ted comes to mind which I already mentioned, you know, but I was trying to think of something else that you know that we've seen like oh it with a capers hiding in said thing, too. I mean, we've seen role playing things had been like an entourage there was like a party where people were doing that whole Jessup thing and having sex. That's a whole other thing. Right. That's
Sal Rodriguez:why they weren't teddy bear costume.
Jason Connell:Well, are something like that. But yeah, I don't know what came to your mind besides what we just talked about. But anything else?
Sal Rodriguez:I'll tell you what came to mind. I do know for certain that there was some sort of viral video going around a year or two ago that featured this guy running from the police. He finds himself in the garage, and there's mannequins, so he somehow he somehow posed, I think it was a real video. I'm always skeptical about these things, but I think it was a real video. I don't know if he ended up getting away. But for a moment, he's standing there as a mannequin, and the cops are walking right by him. I forgot how it ended. But yeah, I do like the whole hidden in plain sight idea.
Jason Connell:I do too. Well, that comes to mind mannequin, the movie mannequin with Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cottrell. I'm sure there's a scene like that in there. I've not seen that movie since the 80s. But should revisit it. So anyway, I'm sure the cops were everyone was just like he saw cops coming. I got it. Give it to Dobson for the quick thinking. And
Sal Rodriguez:I wonder if you're a cop on the scene or you'd be like trying to be funny, but like, Hey, guys, I guess we're all clear here. He's obviously not here.
Jason Connell:Let's bring in the dog.
Sal Rodriguez:Well, by the way, I've been attacked by one of those dogs, you know, you put on those fat suits, and you get attacked by a German Shepherd. I did that once. And you know what, even if they don't break your skin, it still hurts. So yeah, you don't ever want to be attacked by a dog. Even if you have the protective padding on
Jason Connell:I never let Nikko bite my arm but just wrestling him. He was 120 pounds and he was so strong. I'm telling you that guy was tough. There's no doubt I would not want him gnawing on me. No. Well, on the topic of stuffed animals before we get back to the crime. I discovered something that I never knew before about Trader Joe's while I was doing research for this episode. And I was like wait, what? Trader Joe's? Yeah, Trader Joe's the grocery store chain all over California and now beyond. They've gone into other regions and not one. There's one in Rhode Island. 45 minutes from here.
Sal Rodriguez:But Jason the parking lots are infamous.
Jason Connell:Oh my god, the worst parking lots ever. It's big enough for a bike or a scooter. You don't want to park in there. Well, somewhere in the store, the employees have hidden a stuffed animal. And any kid that finds it is given a special treat like a lollipop as a prize. Stuffed animals vary from store to store. It could be I never knew this penguins, lobsters, cows etc. Can be teddy bears. I never knew it until I was doing searches. I was like, Get out of here. So sad. Rodriguez. It's not just for kids. Go find that stuffed animal next time at least.
Sal Rodriguez:It's not just for kids.
Jason Connell:Well it is but you can say hey, I saw
Sal Rodriguez:dogs. Like I'll find it. I won't announce it. Bought it. I got you
Jason Connell:know like the old books as a kid like find the
Sal Rodriguez:I'm gonna highlight that's fun. I never knew that. I didn't need it. So it's like, Uh, where's Waldo?
Jason Connell:Where's Waldo? Remember highlights like fine
Sal Rodriguez:Highlights for Children. at the doctor's office, dentist's office. Yeah, I'm Mr. Goofus and gallant tell. Yes. So anyway,
Jason Connell:a lot of fun there and back to the crime. Dobson super creative. I mean, was that pre cut hole? Had he had he said, you know, what if it comes to this, or how fast was he moving because he cut the hole at the bottom of it, but turns out it was a five foot stuffed teddy bear. Maybe taller, but if you just kind of crunch up and it and he burrowed himself in for a long winter's nap.
Sal Rodriguez:I liked the idea, Jason that it could be premeditated out of this advance
Jason Connell:to come here. I'll have this guy out there. Ready to go and this big teddy bear? No, it was like a bunch of teddy bears maybe. But it's a fact that was breathing like you got to hold your breath for a while. Yeah, control it, but he's also nervous because cops are in your house. It's a whole other level. Well, everyone at the station, so had to have a really good laugh and bear witness
Sal Rodriguez:today. Oh. Oh, it gets worse. Joshua
Jason Connell:Dobson was sentenced to nine months in prison. It was GTA he was bullied. So there was some of that. But so after sentencing, police made the following statement, which I have to have you read. Hang on.
Sal Rodriguez:I just wonder for like, if you're a judge, you'd be like, Listen, I'm gonna give you 12 months but because you were so hilarious. I'm gonna lower it. Nine months yeah. He's now stuffed. Hello behind bars after being sentenced last week for theft of a motor vehicle driving while disqualified and making off from a petrol station without payment. Hopefully he has a bearable time inside the cops day cops are doing stand up.
Jason Connell:Yeah. Very good. And this is the UK with the petrol station. Disqualified. They do things a little different than a little cukier
Sal Rodriguez:they do and they you know what? They also do this crazy. They call lawyers, barristers. What the heck is
Jason Connell:barristers? You want to go get something to go take away? What Yeah, you don't get it to go you get it to take away. That's crazy. Like take away? They don't call it aluminum Sal. They call it what Allah minion. Let me what? I know it's great.
Sal Rodriguez:A naked American man stole my balloon.
Jason Connell:Still works in American Werewolf in London. Thank you, John Landis for that classic that never dies.
Sal Rodriguez:Let's talk movies by Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez who
Jason Connell:incredible incredible. So that's the true crime story of the car thief caught hiding in giant stuffed teddy bear in 2022. Jason, I needed that. I know just something a little lighter. I thought is this thing factor fiction? What is this and I just thought it was a fun thing to explore. And you gotta go look up the images. If you can. It's not as many as I like, the video is pretty funny. If you actually put in this title and did a YouTube search, it would come up actually. I also love the title. And I want to see more. But I hope Dobson learns his lesson. And doesn't do this again. Because hey, nine months in prison is no joke. Maybe it was lowered? Maybe not. But you're 18 and this is already your track record. Not good. So this is me like being serious here. You gotta like get on the right side of the law. He's got a sense of humor. Take yourself too serious. But I would say learn from this, Joshua. Because we don't want to revisit you on another episode of that's a cry.
Sal Rodriguez:No, that's right. Jason. You know, this young man is at a crucial age where he can turn his life around. possibly go into a career as a sports mascot. How about that?
Jason Connell:he shoulda coulda woulda let's do it. Let's come back and I can't stop. Yes. Yeah. The bears.
Sal Rodriguez:Oh, my God. Yes.
Jason Connell:So Sal will come back for more crimes. Maybe light? Maybe not. But every crimes and enjoyable journey to go on together. And we'll do more.
Sal Rodriguez:I'll be ready. Thank you, Jason.
Jason Connell:So thank you so much for listening. And please be sure to subscribe to the that's a crime podcast and the that's a crime YouTube Live Channel. You can also really help us by giving the show a five star rating on Apple podcast.
Sal Rodriguez:And for all your listeners that enjoy sharing your thoughts. You can leave us a review on Apple podcasts, send us a direct message or post a comment on any that's a crime social media platform.
Jason Connell:We also highly recommend checking out our other podcast and visiting just curious media.com
