Stanley cups: Woman arrested for stealing $2,500 of quenchers

Police displayed the apparently stolen items on a squad car

A woman has been arrested for allegedly trying to steal Stanley cups worth $2,500 (£1,965) from a California shop.

The 23-year-old was challenged by staff but refused to pay for the items, stuffing them into a car, police say.

The Stanley cup, specifically the Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler, has gone viral on TikTok.

The #Stanleycup hashtag has had more than seven billion views worldwide, and the craze has led to a number of attempts at law-breaking.

One popular recent video showed a man jumping across a Starbucks counter in an effort to steal a hot pink limited edition of the flask.

• Why is TikTok going crazy for Stanley water cups?

Police in the city of Roseville, a suburb of California state capital Sacramento, said officers responded to a theft after staff at a local store spotted a woman wheeling a shopping trolley full of the water bottles to the boot of a car.

"The suspect refused to stop for staff and stuffed her car with the stolen merchandise," the police statement said, adding that traffic police stopped the car as it tried to enter a nearby highway.

A search of the vehicle revealed 65 Stanley cups.

The police department had a message of warning for any would-be law-breakers.

"While Stanley Quenchers are all the rage, we strongly advise against turning to crime to fulfill your hydration habits," the statement said.

The reusable cups were first invented in 1913 by William Stanley Junior and marketed as "unbreakable". They became popular two years ago among eco-friendly, health conscious, often teenage Tiktokers.

Recent limited editions of the quenchers appear to have caused mayhem at some US stores.

TikTok videos showed overnight queuing and a mad dash to buy the cups - retailing at $54.50 (£42.99) - at one Target supermarket.