Police Arrest Man Who Tried to Sell Rustled Cow Costumes

Redlands Police recovered two 7-foot cow costumes stolen in separate restaurant burglaries and arrested a suspect after Redlands Police Department officers found the costumes advertised for sale online. The cow costumes, created for Chick-Fil-A restaurant, were stolen in two separate burglaries from the Redlands restaurant’s storage facility earlier this year. RPD officers contacted the seller after seeing one of the distinctive 7-foot costumes made to represent the restaurant’s trademark cow mascots for sale on Craigslist last week. The officer indicated on the phone with the seller that he was interested in buying the bovine attire as a Halloween costume. When the seller told the officer that he had two for sale for $350 apiece, the officer replied that it would make the perfect his-and-hers costumes for him and his wife. The officer arranged to meet the seller at an apartment complex in the 2600 block of East Highland Avenue in San Bernardino on Wednesday, Oct. 30. Police arrested 43-year-old Robert Michael Trytten of Riverside, when he produced the rustled cow costumes for the undercover officer. The costumes were valued by the restaurant at $2,800 apiece. Police also recovered a pop-up canopy stolen from the restaurant. All property was returned to the business. Trytten is being held for possession of stolen property at Central Detention Center in San Bernardino in lieu of $275,000 bail. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Redlands Police Dispatch at 909-798-7681. Anonymous tips can be provided by texting 274637 using the keyword “REDTIP.”