Cock loose on Grounds
All was well at Runk Dining Hall for Cornelius the Rooster, the cardboard cutout of the Kellogg's Cornflakes cereal icon.
At least until about two weeks ago, when Cornelius mysteriously disappeared.
Or did he?
"I thought it was just discarded," Runk location manager Tom Frederick said. "I didn't realize it was stolen."
Cornelius allegedly was blindfolded, kidnapped and carried out of the dining hall by four first-year students who spoke to The Cavalier Daily under the condition of anonymity.
Life in the high-altitude domain of Hereford College gets pretty boring, so these guys decided "it was time that this amazing creature experience all that was the University of Virginia," according to the web site they created.
Then, still bored, they took pictures of the rooster at various locations around Grounds, including the steps of the Rotunda, sorority rush and even Honor Committee Chairman Hunter Ferguson's Lawn room.
"We told him we were doing a photo essay, and asked him to hold the rooster while we took a picture," one of the students said.
The thieves created their own Web site for the rooster - go to http://members.xoom.com/runkrooster/runkrooster.html for more information.
Although moving a large cardboard rooster may seem difficult, Frederick said it actually could be very easy. Runk has a small convenience store that is open until midnight, and the students probably came in late to get the rooster, he said.
"We're going to make sure that our employees are more aware of things like this," he added.
Most Runk employees did not even realize that the rooster was gone, Frederick said.
"It's not a big deal, but it's a shame that it happened ... we discourage theft of any kind," Runk Production Manager Sam Jeffers said.
But this theft doesn't come as a shock to him.
"I've nabbed a few people trying to walk out with it before," Jeffers said.
The students now plan to return the rooster, emphasizing that "he is alive and well."
Although the rooster may be returned, V-Dining employees shouldn't sleep too soundly: The Pav's Chick-Fil-A cow allegedly is the cardboard-icon nabbing thieves' next target.
Compiled by Adam Justice
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