Mt. Morris, New York, police were able to find a cash register and security camera system stolen from a Build-A-Burger restaurant by following the sloppy thieves’ trail of macaroni salad.

According to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, police were called to the Build-A-Burger around 6:30 a.m. local time after the store’s owners discovered that the cash register and surveillance system were missing. Evidence led police to a nearby hiking and bike trail.

“Found along the trail were cash register parts, surveillance system parts, rubber gloves, loose change and a steady trail of macaroni salad,” Livingston County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post. “It was later discovered that the suspects stole a large bowl of macaroni salad, which they took turns eating, along their escape route.”

How nice! Not very well thought out, but a nice thing for three friends and alleged co-conspirators to do together.

Matthew P. Sapetko, 34; James P. Marullo, 35; and Timothy S. Walker Jr., 23, were arrested by police later that day and charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief, and fourth-degree grand larceny. Walker was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Photo (James Marullo, Matthew Sapetko and Timothy Walker Jr.) via Livingston County Sheriff’s Office. Contact the author at aleksander@gawker.com .