What sounds like it could be a scene from a movie played out in real life on Christmas Eve at the Red Hook Lobster Pound, where restaurant staff told News 12 that a couple brazenly stole a live lobster straight from the tank before fleeing the building.

According to the restaurant, the incident happened as the establishment was nearing closing time. Director of Operations Cyndi Stanimirov said the couple had been dining inside when staff noticed them vaping, which is not allowed. They were asked to leave shortly after.

What happened next left employees and patrons stunned.

“We have never had anybody stick their hands in the lobster tank here and take a live lobster,” Stanimirov said. “Of course, being Christmas Eve, it’s even more like a Grinch, Scrooge-type situation.”

Staff said after being asked to leave, the couple paid their bill, then suddenly grabbed a live lobster from the tank and ran out the back door. Server Lukasc Fron said the theft happened so quickly that no one had time to react.

“Just out of nowhere she just picked it up and walked out with it,” he said. “We were all kind of just surprised.”

Other diners who witnessed the incident are still trying to make sense of what they saw. Patron Michael Elmquist said the moment felt almost unreal.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “In my mind I want to pretend it was the beginning of a Disney movie and they brought it back to the ocean and started a new life or something.”

The couple reportedly did not have a reservation and paid in cash, making them difficult to identify. Owner Susan Povich says she hopes public awareness will help track them down.

“We give a lot to the community,” Povich said. “We host parties, we give food, we give money, and when someone takes from us, it really hurts more people than just us.”

While the value of a single lobster may seem small, staff say the incident struck a nerve, especially on a holiday known for generosity. For now, the restaurant is left with an unusual Christmas Eve story, and a missing crustacean that they say no one there will soon forget.