"I kidnapped a plaster cow from Perry Farm Park." - Shane Whitlock

Every town has landmarks, but what happens when a group of bored teenagers decides to relocate one? In this episode of "This One Time in Kankakee," we bring you the legendary story of a crime that wasn't the crime, and how a 500-pound plaster cow ended up in a suburban living room.In 2008, Shane Whitlock and his friends, armed with a "borrowed" shopping cart and a severe case of late-night boredom, set their sights on the iconic cow statue outside the Exploration Station Children's Museum at Perry Farm Park in Bradley, IL. What follows is a hilarious comedy of errors, including a herculean effort to push their prize through town, a brilliantly timed but unrelated arrest for stealing a Wendy's banner, and a mother's rude awakening to find a farm animal and a police officer in her home.This is a quintessential Kankakee County story about how the dumbest decisions make the best memories, the absurdity of youth, and the long, painful walk of shame when you have to carry a 500-pound cow back where you found it at sunrise.In this episode, you'll hear about:The "kidnapping" of the cow statue from Perry Farm in Bradley.How to move a 500-pound bovine using a Jewel-Osco shopping cart.Getting arrested for stealing a banner, but not the giant cow in your living room.A mother's reaction to finding a life-sized farm animal next to her couch.The grueling, pre-dawn journey to return the statue to the park.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro: The night a landmark disappeared 01:13 - Meet Shane: Teenage life in 2008 Bradley, IL 02:18 - The Target: The Perry Farm Park Cow Statue 03:10 - The Heist: A Cow in a Shopping Cart 04:34 - Mission Accomplished: A Cow in the Living Room 04:57 - The Unrelated Crime: Stealing a Wendy's Banner 06:02 - Mom Wakes Up to a Cow and a Cop 07:38 - The Mission: Return the Cow 08:34 - The Long Walk Home (for the cow) 09:40 - The Aftermath & A Generational Tale of PranksSend us Fan MailWant more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.comThe Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.