Janet Jackson’s Bungling Burglar

As Janet Jackson performed a concert Wednesday at Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum, a 19-year-old fan slipped backstage and into Ms. Jackson’s dressing room. The perpetrator, Mario Backman, evaded security and made it into the dressing room where he swiped a Hello Kitty doll, a Minnie Mouse doll, a FDNY baseball hat and some fan mail. It is reported that he had hoped to post the items on eBay.

As reported on Eonline.com, Detective Sergeant John Giambrone said, "Sometime around 10 minutes to 11 p.m. during the concert, her manager, Jamie Mendoza and security people for the Coliseum were walking past dressing room 18 and saw the subject, Mario Backman, in the room. He did not have a backstage pass." According to the officer, Backman told Mendoza and security personnel that he was with the crew for Jackson’s opening act Ginuwine. Giambrone said, "He showed security a piece of paper that said he was with Ginuwine and claimed someone named Joseph gave it to him. He couldn’t tell them who Joseph was and they notified police, who placed him under arrest."

The would-be thief was then arrested on third-degree burglary charges and was released without bail after his arraignment Thursday. If convicted he faces a maximum of three to seven years in jail. He is to appear in court Monday for his court date. Jackson will wrap her concert tour at Hawaii’s Aloha Stadium on February 17 and is slated to perform at the Grammy Awards on February 27. The All For You tour is scheduled for live broadcast on HBO.