CASE FILE CC-001:
THE MISSING TROPHY
Solve The Case
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SECTION 1 - CASE BRIEF
Case File: CC-001 Reporting Date: May 1st Location: Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls Status: OPEN - Solve it before Cole does
The Cedar Falls Falcons had one of the best basketball seasons in school history. Nineteen wins. A regional championship. And a trophy that was supposed to be engraved and mounted in the front hallway before the Friday morning assembly.
It never made it.
When custodian Harold Denny unlocked the school at 6:15 a.m. on Thursday, the trophy case was empty. No sign of forced entry. No broken glass. The lock was intact, which meant whoever took the Falcons' championship trophy had a key, or knew exactly what they were doing.
Cole Mitchell arrived at Cedar Falls High School at 7:45 a.m., twenty minutes before first bell, and by the time the hallway filled with students, he had already found three things that didn't add up.
The question is: can you find what he found?
Study the evidence below. Review the suspects. And when you're ready, choose the suspect you think is guilty!
SECTION 2 - EVIDENCE FILES
Solve it before Cole does
CLUE 1 - The Lock That Wasn't Forced
Item: Front trophy case, built-in key lock. Cedar Falls High School main hallway.
The trophy case lock showed zero signs of tampering, no scratches, no pry marks, no damage to the frame. School records show only three people have a key to that case: the athletic director, the school secretary, and the principal. The athletic director's key was verified in her desk drawer. The secretary was at a family event in Indianapolis and didn't return until Thursday morning. That leaves one key unaccounted for, and the person who holds it hasn't been asked about it yet.
CLUE 2 - The Proof Sheet in the Trash
Item: Crumpled paper retrieved from recycling bin, principal's office, Wednesday afternoon.
A sharp-eyed office aide spotted something interesting when emptying Principal Davies recycling bin Wednesday evening: a crumpled proof sheet from the Cedar Falls Trophy & Engraving Company. It was a digital mockup of how the engraved plate would look on the trophy base. At the bottom of the proof, someone had circled a line in red marker. The line read: "Cedar Fals High School - Regional Champions." One letter short. The engraving company had already been paid. The order was set to be finalized by 8 a.m. Thursday.
CLUE 3 - The Sick Day That Wasn't
Item: School security log, Wednesday 7:02 p.m.
Principal Arthur Davies called in sick Wednesday afternoon and left school at 2:30 p.m., according to the front office attendance sheet. But the school's rear entrance security keypad log tells a different story. At 7:02 p.m. Wednesday evening, someone used the administrative master code to enter through the back door. The log doesn't record who, only the code used. The master code belongs to one person.
CLUE 4 - The Dust That Moved
Item: Trophy case shelf, photographed by Cole Mitchell, 7:52 a.m. Thursday.
Cole noticed it immediately. The shelf where the trophy sat had a thin layer of dust along its back edge, completely undisturbed. But the front half of the shelf was clean, with a distinct oval shape in the dust where the trophy base had been sitting. Cole also noticed the smudge pattern on the glass: the inside panel had been wiped down with something, not the outside, which still had fingerprints from students who'd pressed their faces against it all week. Someone cleaned up after themselves from the inside.
SECTION 3 - SUSPECT PROFILES
Solve it before Cole does
SUSPECT 1 - Coach Ray Briggs Head Football Coach, Cedar Falls High School Age: 44
Ray Briggs has coached Cedar Falls Falcon football for eleven years and has built one of the most successful programs in the county. He's proud of that, maybe too proud. For the past three years, Briggs has been in open conflict with Athletic Director Sandra Kowalski over the school's budget allocation. His argument: football generates more revenue, more community support, and more college scholarship opportunities than any other sport at Cedar Falls High, and yet the basketball program keeps getting the lion's share of facility upgrades, equipment budget, and trophy case real estate.
Alibi: Claims he was in his office reviewing game film Wednesday evening. No one can confirm this. His key fob shows he badged into the athletic wing at 6:48 p.m., fourteen minutes before someone entered through the rear entrance using the administrative master code.
SUSPECT 2 - Harold Denny Head Custodian, Cedar Falls High School Age: 58
Harold has worked at Cedar Falls High School for nineteen years. He applied for a facilities supervisor position three months ago and was passed over, a decision made by Principal Davies. He's made no secret of his frustration. Harold has a building master key and knows the school's layout better than anyone. He was also the one who "discovered" the empty trophy case Thursday morning.
Alibi: Says he left the building at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday and went straight home. His neighbor says she saw his truck in his driveway by 5:15. The rear entrance log entry was at 7:02 p.m.
SUSPECT 3 - Vic Tolland Owner, Tolland's Pawn & Collectibles, 114 Maple Street Age: 51
A student reported seeing a man matching Vic Tolland's description standing near the Cedar Falls High School parking lot Wednesday evening around 7 p.m. Tolland's shop has a history of acquiring items of questionable origin, and a regional championship trophy from a school known for its athletics program would likely fetch several hundred dollars from the right collector.
Alibi: Says he was doing inventory in the back of his shop all evening. Alone. No witnesses.
SUSPECT 4 - Principal Arthur Davies Principal, Cedar Falls High School Age: 53
Principal Davies has served Cedar Falls High School for eleven years and has never been involved in anything like this. He is well-liked by staff and students alike. He holds the master key to the trophy case and the administrative door code. He did call in sick Wednesday afternoon, which is unusual, staff members describe him as someone who "never misses a day." He has not yet been interviewed and declined to comment when approached Thursday morning, stating only that he was sure the trophy would "turn up."
Alibi: Claims he went home sick and stayed there. No one can confirm this.
SECTION 4 — COLE'S CORNER
A note from Cole Mitchell, Cedar Falls Detective Club
Solve it before Cole does
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Hey - Cole here.
I've been thinking about this one since I walked through those front doors this morning, and I want to give you a nudge without giving it all away. Because that wouldn't be any fun.
Here's what I always ask on a case like this: who had the most to lose if that trophy went on display?
Everyone assumes the motive is greed, someone wanted the trophy because it was worth something. But what if the motive was something else entirely? What if someone took the trophy not to keep it, but to buy time?
Look at the clues again. All four of them. And ask yourself why someone would wipe down the inside of the glass but leave the outside untouched.
They weren't covering up a break-in.
They were covering up a mistake.
Good luck. You're going to need it.
- Cole
SECTION 5 - SUBMIT YOUR THEORY
You've studied the evidence. You've reviewed the suspects. Now it's time to make your call.
Solve it before Cole does
Who took the Cedar Falls Falcons' regional championship trophy?
Select your suspect below. Click on the Photo and see if you cracked the case!
