The Ballad of Box Guy

The bus trip home from work was more eventful than usual yesterday.
At the main downtown bus stop, a young woman ran up to and got on the bus. A few seconds behind her, a young male wearing a black jacket and carrying a medium-sized box got on. Clearly, he had been running hard for the bus. He was out of breath and sweating. He sat down, asked his friend to pay for him (which she did), and pulled off his black jacket to reveal a white sweater underneath, and shoved his jacket in the box.
As the bus waited to leave, I noticed two bicycle cops riding slowly up the sidewalk. Immediately I thought, Riding bikes on the sidewalk, in dark clothes, no lights… if I did that, I’d get a ticket. They continued on, and I thought no more of them., at least not until someone else got on the bus and asked the bus driver if some guy in a black jacket carrying a box had boarded the bus.
“You!” the man cried when he saw the box-carrier. “Don’t move! The cops are coming!” He turned to the driver. “Don’t move, the cops are after this guy! Be careful, he has a knife in his pocket!” And he ran off the bus yelling for the cops.
So much for a quick bus ride home, I thought.
Box Guy stood up. “What?!!? I do not have a knife, oh man!” He turned to his friend. “Go home, honey. I’ll talk to you later,” he said, then got off the bus and waited for the cops to return.
And return they did, the two bike cops, plus a cruiser and a wagon. Girl friend sighed, gathered up their stuff, including the box that he had left on the bus, and got off the bus to share in whatever misery awaited Box Guy.
The cops didn’t seem to think Box Guy was much of a threat, but they did handcuff him. However, Box Guy seemed cooperative.
What had he done? I don’t know. I’m guessing he shoplifted something, probably sticking it in the box.
Not the best start to his holiday season.