Thief in Nick Fouquet hat heist in Aspen comes forward

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A thief who stole two $2,000 Nick Fouquet hats from a display at the St. Regis hotel in Aspen has come forward after realizing he was caught on camera. The perpetrator, who lives in Australia, said he was very drunk at the time and had no idea he was committing a crime. He has offered to return one of the hats and pay for the other, which he had given to a girl.

Why it matters

The theft of the high-end designer hats, which are popular among celebrities, has raised questions about security at the luxury hotel and the motivations behind the crime. The perpetrator's willingness to come forward and try to make amends, albeit in an unusual way, also highlights the complex nature of such incidents.

The details

The hats were part of a special display created by artists T. Hunter McCann and Benjamin Voutour for the Snow Lodge, a chic club located in the St. Regis hotel. The perpetrator, after seeing his face plastered all over the news, contacted Jayma Cardoso, the owner of the Snow Lodge, and offered to return one of the hats and pay for the other. However, Cardoso was not receptive to the idea of accepting a "used hat" back, and the perpetrator is also being asked to pay for the damages to the display.

• On Wednesday, February 5, 2026, someone broke into a display case at the St. Regis hotel in Aspen and stole two Nick Fouquet hats.
• The perpetrator has now come forward after realizing he was caught on camera.

What’s next

The perpetrator is being asked to pay for the hats and the damages to the display. If he complies, the matter may be resolved without further legal action.