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Build-A-Burger & Ice Cream in Mt. Morris, N.Y.

(screenshot from Facebook)

Police in Mt. Morris have arrested three burglary suspects after a Hansel and Gretel-style trail of stolen macaroni salad led investigators straight to the thieves.

Matthew Sapetko

Police responded to a call from the Build-A-Burger & Ice Cream restaurant in the Town of Mt. Morris in Western N.Y. at 6:30 a.m. on Mother's Day, My Fox NY reported.

The store's surveillance system and cash register containing $29 had been stolen, as well as a 10-pound bowl of macaroni salad.

Investigators began collecting evidence, including cash register and surveillance system parts, rubber gloves, loose change and a trail of macaroni salad that led them from the restaurant, along the Greenway Trail and into the Village of Mt. Morris.

James Marullo

Police said the apparently sloppy thieves took turns eating the salad along their escape route.

Police followed the trail, and by early afternoon had three suspects in custody.

Matthew P. Sapetko, 34, of Mt. Morris, James P. Marullo, 35, of Mt. Morris, and Timothy S. Walker Jr., 23, from Idaho, were all charged with burglary in the 3rd degree, criminal mischief in the 3rd degree and grand larceny in the 4th degree. Walker was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument. They were arraigned and committed to Livingston County Jail.

Timothy S. Walker Jr.

The restaurant was unfortunately forced to remain closed on Mother's Day to clean up, but owner Debbie Hill, who made the macaroni salad that help cracked the case, was able to find some silver lining.

"Obviously it must be good if they took the whole ten pounds of it," she told WHAM-TV.

Throughout the ordeal, the restaurant kept their loyal customers updated on Facebook, first by sadly reporting the robbery.

They later thanked the community for an outpouring of support, and thanked the media for covering the robbery, joking, "It looks like Deb will be making 10x the amount of Mac Salad from now on!"

The restaurant was open again on Monday.

Watch the video report from WHAM below.