CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Seven Yeti coolers were stolen from the front porch of a Cape Coral condo overnight Monday.
The coolers aren’t used to haul around beer – they are a big part of a local business. They belong to Shell Camp Florida and were stolen from the porch of the owner of the business, Julie Adrian.
“It just ripped out a part of my soul because I put so much into this unique adventure,” Adrian told NBC2.
Shell Camp Florida offers a new way to search for seashells. She and her crew kick things up a notch, taking guests on a four-day, three-night expedition to the Ten Thousand Islands.
“I was never a camper,” said Adrian. “It was the only way I could get down on that spot where all the great shells are.”
She calls it “glamping,” or glamorous camping. They set up rather upscale tents, unlike any others you might have stayed in.
“Each tent is outfitted with two cots, all the bedding, table, chairs, lighting, rug,” Adrian said. “It’s really special.”
According to Adrian, she and her team just got back from a “glamping trip,” or glamorous camping, on Sunday night. That’s when she tucked the coolers away on the porch of her condo at Coral Reef in southeast Cape Coral off Beach Parkway. They’re not easily spotted. They’re a long walk from the road and some are even tucked away in a corner.
“For me, I just feel like… so violated,” she said.
Adrian noticed the coolers were missing when she woke up and walked outside on Monday morning.
“I went to look out the door and they were gone,” she said.
The stolen coolers are just part of the massive production they set up for their guests. Inside were pieces of custom artwork and even handmade shell crafts, like mirrors. They’re used to decorate the tents for their guests, so they feel like they’re at home.
The coolers are valued at around $400 each, while some of the artwork is priceless. Adrian collected all of the shells herself and personally created the pieces.
“I can’t even imagine if they opened up the cooler and saw them and threw them in the dumpster,” she said. “That’s what’s tearing at my heartstrings right now.”
She’s out thousands of dollars when it comes to the coolers and materials inside that were stolen.
That’s why Adrian is now asking for the public’s help to figure out who did this. She’s offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who helps the Cape Coral Police Department catch those responsible.
“Keep an eye out for anybody with a new Yeti cooler,” she said. “If you know anything about these items, please. Please speak up.”
The coolers aren’t hard to spot. They’re each branded with the big, bright logo of Shell Camp Florida on the sides.
If you have any information that might help investigators, you can call CCPD, submit an anonymous online tip to SWFL CrimeStoppers, or call 1-800-780-TIPS.