Just after midnight on September 15, 2025, a weird burglary went down at Paddlefish, that big riverboat restaurant sitting on the lagoon at Disney Springs. According to deputies, some skinny guy in tight clothes, a blue beanie, and full-on scuba gear snuck into the place after it closed, grabbed thousands in cash, and just disappeared into the water.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says the suspect swam right up to the back of the boat with his scuba stuff on. He got into the manager’s office where a couple of employees were counting the night’s deposits, told them to freeze and shut their eyes. Reports saying he tied them up, but that’s not totally confirmed yet.
A tweet from X.
Investigators figure he took off with anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. Before bolting, he supposedly spray-painted over a security camera, then slipped back into the lagoon and vanished. The workers weren’t hurt, and they called 911 once they got free. Deputies and Disney security combed the area but came up empty no sign of the guy.
Disney Springs is usually locked down tight, with sheriff’s folks and Disney staff everywhere keeping an eye on things. Paddlefish opened back up at noon that same day, and it didn’t look like they’d beefed up security or anything obvious, but the cops are still on it.
An OCSO spokesperson said,
“We’re treating this as an active case.”
They’ve put out some surveillance pics showing the suspect in dark gear and goggles, and they’re asking anyone with tips to speak up.
It happened right after midnight on the 15th at the Disney Springs spot, two employees were involved but okay, the guy’s described as slim, about 5’10”, packing a gun, and they think $10K to $20K got swiped. The sheriff’s office released those images of him. Stuff that’s still iffy includes whether he really tied up the workers or just threatened them, the exact cash amount, and how precisely he got in and out. No arrest yet, and the investigation’s ongoing.
Disney Springs is this huge shopping and eating hub at Walt Disney World, and Paddlefish is that standout spot styled like a docked riverboat on the water. Cops think the lagoon setup might’ve made it easy for him to pull off that sneaky approach and getaway.
The whole thing blew up online fast, especially after a post from Dexerto, that gaming news site, hit X and started spreading. Tons of people were joking it sounded like a movie heist. But law enforcement’s warning folks not to get carried away with guesses.
The guy’s still out there, and deputies are poring over more footage. OCSO made it clear there’s no ongoing danger to visitors or the public at Disney Springs. If you’ve got any info, hit up the sheriff’s office.
