Woman Is Accused of Stealing Steak off Grill

It quickly became a case of the boosted barbecue when Calaveras County authorities arrested a woman on suspicion of stealing a hunk of tri-tip steak off the outdoor cooker of her neighbor.

The call to the Sheriff’s Department came at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday from a woman who said she briefly turned away from the grill only to return and find her tri-tip gone.

Authorities said they didn’t need to bring in the bloodhounds to solve the case of the missing meat.

“It had been stolen, and a trail of meat juice was followed to the next-door apartment,” Deputy Blain Smith said.

Deputies said they found the partly cooked meat on a bathroom counter in the apartment occupied by Lindsey Blackledge, 19. She was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property.