Cops: Yard Sign May Have Set Off Instacart Driver

Updated below to include news that Tara Olivia Plum was cited in the incident.

Minnesota police say an elderly couple's yard sign may have set off an Instacart driver. The Washington Post has the story of the odd incident in Blaine, which happened on Dec. 6. The night prior, the couple had ordered $50 of groceries via Instacart, and upon getting a notification the driver was arriving, they say they went outside to see if she needed any assistance due to the snow. According to Blaine Police Chief Brian Podany, the couple says they encountered a woman driving forward and then in reverse in their unshoveled driveway.

Thinking she was indeed having an issue with the snow, they indicated they wanted to help. Per Podany, the driver told them to check their Christmas wreath and then made off, revealing the now-crushed groceries that had been beneath her wheels. Tucked into the wreath was their receipt, which had a message written on it that Podany shared: "Instacart doesn't pay employees. Find another slave, racist. F--- the police pigs."

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Podany says it appears the driver, a 36-year-old Tara Olivia Plum, was bothered by the couple's yard sign, which read "THANK YOU BLAINE P.D." The "o" was swapped out for a heart that featured a thin blue line flag design—an indication of support for police to some; to others, a sign of opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. The Star Tribune reports she was cited for criminal damage to property and could face a sentence of up to 90 days if convicted. Instacart confirmed Plum no longer works for them. It has refunded the couple, but that's not the only financial redress for them. A GoFundMe campaign started by a relative that noted "Money is tight. Vulnerability is high" has raised more than $13,000; its original goal was just $500. (More Minnesota stories.)