Homeless Man Says Free Muffin Contained Glass

A homeless man named Paul Fink said he helped himself to some free pastries left out for the taking by a bakery Saturday afternoon, and when he bit down on one of them, discovered it contained a small piece of glass. Fink said he didn’t eat the muffin, a cinnamon bun, until Monday, two days after he picked it up, but when he did, immediately crunched down on what felt to him like a rock. Examining it, he saw it was actually a piece of glass. Alarmed, he and his girlfriend Brittany, who is also homeless, called Social Worker Ken Williams for advice. Williams examined the pastry and suggested the couple report the incident to Santa Barbara Police. The couple was not interested in doing that however. They were willing, at Williams’ suggestion, to show it to a member of the news media, Executive Editor at The Santa Barbara Independent, Nick Welsh. Welsh saw the muffin and the piece of glass, and said it looked about one-fifth the size of a typical pencil eraser, but big enough to cause harm.

Fink doesn’t seem to have been injured by the incident, but is worried it was an intentional act. “Things in the newspapers are getting people excited and upset with the homeless,” he said. “We were definitely worried it was something malicious.” To read more, see homelessinsb.org.