Iowa Woman was Found Inside the Walls of a Business After Officers Heard 'Whispering in the Wall'

On another bizarre episode of "World's Dumbest Criminals," a woman was caught by police hiding inside the walls of a Geneseo business and is now facing criminal charges.

Mugshot of Caleigh Gottsche; credit: 

Police Find a Woman Hiding in the Wall of a Geneseo Business

KWQC News reported that Caleigh Gottsche of Davenport was arrested by police after hearing whispering in the walls of a business in Geneseo, Illinois. 

A business owner on South State Street heard a "loud noise coming from the ceiling or attic area" around 5:30 p.m. and called 911. Police arrived and searched businesses nearby and that's when they heard whispering and movement behind the walls. They talked to Gottsche and were able to pinpoint her location.

Firefighters were able to pull her out of the wall safely.

Police believe she was working with two others, and are searching for them. Roads in the area were closed during the investigation. Police also discovered that they found damaged access points on the "shared roofs" of businesses at the location.

Local Businesses are Hurt by Theft

It’s striking how far some individuals will go to exploit honest businesses — in this case, one suspect actually hid inside the walls to gain unlawful access. According to the report, the suspect was discovered squeezed between interior walls of a commercial building, after first responders heard movement from the ceiling or attic areas.

This kind of bold intrusion demonstrates not only premeditation but also a willingness to put themselves in dangerous and conspicuous positions just to commit theft or damage. Businesses that operate under the assumption of standard break-in risks may be caught off guard when someone is literally inside the walls.

When you think about the impact on the business, this kind of crime goes well beyond just stolen goods or damaged property. The psychological effect on business owners and employees is severe — knowing someone managed to access hidden parts of your building unsettles the sense of security. Moreover, the cost often isn’t limited to items taken; it includes repair of walls, ceilings, rafters, roofs, and potentially shutting down operations while investigation or remediation occurs. In the cited case, multiple businesses at the location had damaged access points in their shared roofs, suggesting coordinated and extensive efforts.

This level of risk underscores how critical it is for businesses to not only secure visible entry points but also to be vigilant about unseen vulnerabilities and the lengths to which malicious actors will go.

3 More Businesses Permanently Close at Bridge Street Town Centre in Huntsville, AL in January 2025

Three more businesses are permanently closing their doors for good at the Bridge Street Town Centre outdoor shopping mall in Huntsville, AL. Read the details on the business closings.

credit: Huntsville.org

First, Pieology Pizza left around November 2024. 

An employee from Bridge Street Town Centre posted the following on Reddit.com/r/HuntsvilleAlabama:

"I work at Bridge Street and I was there the day before they closed. The guy working there said they were bought by a different company and the new owners wanted to keep the stores mostly in Florida. Not sure how true that is but just what the guy said." 

(Source: Birdman_v5) 

Then PBR Lockhart Smokehouse permanently closed its doors at Bridge Street at the end of 2024.

FOX54 reported that the cowboy-themed restaurant closed after a 'Countdown to 2025' celebration. The restaurant was a unique joint venture partnership between PBR Cowboy Bar and Lockhart Smokehouse and opened in October 2022. They described themselves as "an electric combination of PBR Cowboy Bar's 'cowboy cool' with Lockhart's iconic Texas barbeque."

(Source: FOX54's RocketCityNow.com)

3 Stores Closing in Bridge Street Town Centre in January 2025

FOX54 reported on 2 January 2025 that Chico's, Soma, and White House Black Market will all close their Bridge Street Town Centre Huntsville, AL stores permanently on 26 January 2025.

All of these stores are owned by Chico's FAS/Sycamore Partners, which is based out of Florida.

FOX54 reported that this news was shocking to employees, who reportedly learned of the store closures "just days after Christmas."

One employee said, "Our general manager was informed by our District Manager," which came after management told employees that "their locations would not be affected."

An employee told FOX54, "We have ladies who have been here eight years, 11 years, and then my management, my manager now has been here eight years. And there's no plan B for some people."

It was clear that employees "were kept in the dark about the store closings" until after the holiday shopping season.

Reader poll: What do you think about all of the stores closing at Bridge Street Town Centre?

(Share your thoughts in the comments)

Eligible Walmart Customers Can Claim Up to $500 in a $45 Million Class Action Lawsuit: The Deadline is June 5

Walmart customers who purchased citrus fruit or weighed items from Walmart, Walmart Neighborhood, or Walmart Supercenter in the U.S. or Puerto Rico between October 19, 2018, and January 19. 2024 may be eligible to receive up to $500 cash in a $45 million settlement.

Walmart

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What is the Walmart Class Action Lawsuit About?

Plaintiff Vassilios Kukorinis brought an amended class action complaint against Walmart, Inc. in the U.S. District Court, Tampa Division on behalf of all others similarly situated.

It is Case № 8:22-cv-02402-VMC-TGW, filed: on 20 July 2023.

The class action lawsuit states that Walmart uses “unfair and deceptive business practices to pilfer its customers' hard-earned grocery dollars by charging customers more than the product’s lowest advertised per pound/ounce price.”

Kukorinis lawsuit alleges that Walmart is not charging customers the lowest advertised price found on a Rollback sticker or price sticker and that Walmart’s Point of Sale (POS) system “deceptively, systematically and artificially increases the weight of the product at checkout resulting in the customer paying an “inflated price” that is not the same as the price advertised.

The lawsuit does not just apply to customers who purchased citrus, but also other weighed goods, including meat, poultry, and seafood products.

Photo by Marques Thomas on Unsplash

Who is Eligible to Join the Walmart Class Action Lawsuit?

CNBC reported the following eligibility requirements and the tiers of how much money you could be eligible for:

“You may be eligible if you purchased weighted goods and/or bagged citrus in person from Walmart, Walmart Supercenter, or Walmart Neighborhood Market in the U.S. or Puerto Rico between Oct. 19, 2018, and Jan. 19, 2024, according to the settlement’s website.

The amount you receive will depend on how much you spend on those items at a Walmart store during that time period. Here are the potential payouts, per the settlement website.

• $10: If you’re approved and don’t have receipts, proof of purchase, or other documentation but attest to Purchasing up to 50 Weighted Goods and/or Bagged Citrus
• $15: If you’re approved and don’t have receipts, proof of purchase, or other documentation but attest to Purchasing 51 up to 75 Weighted Goods and/or Bagged Citrus in person
• $20: If you’re approved and don’t have receipts, proof of purchase, or other documentation but attest to Purchasing 76 up to 100 Weighted Goods and/or Bagged Citrus in person
• $25: If you’re approved and don’t have receipts, proof of purchase, or other documentation but attest to Purchasing 101 or more Weighted Goods and/or Bagged Citrus
• Up to $500: If you’re approved and have receipts, proof of purchase, or other documentation that substantiates (a) each Weighted Good and/or Bagged Citrus Purchased in person in a Walmart Store during the Settlement Class Period, and (b) the amount paid for each Weighted Good and/or Bagged Citrus Purchased, then that Approved Claimant will be entitled to receive 2% of the total cost of the substantiated Weighted Goods and Bagged Citrus Purchased, capped at five hundred dollars ($500)”

(Source: CNBC)

How Can a Person Join the Walmart Class Action Settlement?

If you are eligible to join this class action lawsuit, you can join at the following website.

The website is a “NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT.”

Screenshot from Kukorinis v. Walmart Inc. settlement website

The following grid on the website shows your legal rights and options in this matter.

credit: Kukorinis v. Walmart Inc. settlement website

Have You Shopped for Weighed Items at Walmart?

Have you purchased citrus fruits or weighted items at Walmart between Oct. 19, 2018, and Jan. 19, 2024?

Does knowing this information change how much you will shop at Walmart in the future?

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Sources

Amended Class Action Lawsuit: Vassilios Kukorinis v. Walmart, Inc. Case №8:22-cv-02402-VMC-TGW. Document filed: 20 July 2023.

DeVon, Cheyenne. “You could claim up to $500 from Walmart as a part of a $45 million class action lawsuit — here’s how to check.” CNBC. 19 April 2024.

Kukorinis v. Walmart, Inc. Class Action Settlement website.

Pennsylvania Uber Eats Driver Takes 2 McDonald's Orders. One Order is 9 To-Go Bags That Only Pays $10 ($1.10 per Bag)

A Pennsylvania Uber Eats driver picks up two orders at a Philadelphia area McDonald's. One order is just one to-go bag, but the second order is 9 Large To-go bags that line the counter and the order only pays $10. The driver says, "The money [is] already not lining up."

McDonald's sign by Mike Mozart; CC BY SA-2.0

An Uber Eats driver takes two orders and one of these fills a long table at McDonald's.

Driver Delivers 9 McDonald's Bags & No Tip Given

An Uber Eats driver that goes by the username 'Beyond Called' posted a video on 23 June 2023 showing that a business ordered 9 bags and is only paying him $10 for this batch, which comes to $1.10 per bag.

@beyondcalled on TikTok

Chances are he will have to make several trips into the building if they don't provide a cart or assistance to him.

In his TikTok video, he said:

"This is my McDonald's order...I got two orders. That's one order"... (showing one bag) and then says, "That's two orders..." (Showing 9 additional bags lining the counter) "...and the money already not lining up," he says.

He points the camera at the single bag.

"The money for this bag was okay." He then shows the 9 bags and says, "They payin' me $10 to deliver all this right here. $10 bucks, so we gonna see what the tip we get from this situation. Hold the phone." -Beyond Called on TikTok

In the next scene, the Uber Eats delivery driver is at his destination, showing a building (seen in the picture below).

Delivery destination by @beyondcalled on TikTok

"Whatever this building is right here, this is the building that ordered all that food, this is the business that ordered all that food and didn't give one tip." -Beyond Called on TikTok

It doesn't look good when a business orders 9 To-go bags from McDonald's and doesn't give a tip. Delivery drivers need to make a living, and count on tips to make ends meet.

The video can be watched here.

Thoughts

• Do you think that it is okay for businesses to not tip delivery drivers for large orders?
• Are you a delivery driver and experienced something like this?

(Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments)

Share this post on social media so everyone can better understand what delivery drivers experience as they try to earn a living wage in the U.S.

Sources

Beyond Called's account on TikTok: @beyondcalled