I can wait for this story to be on Discovery ID.

They still haven’t caught the kidnapper, but Violet Ripken told a neighbor what happened and that neighbor blabbed to the media at the first opportunity he got.

Cal Ripken Jr.’s mother told a neighbor that the man who kidnapped her at gunpoint, tied her up and blindfolded her didn’t seem to know she was part of a famous baseball family as the two drove around together in her car.

“He said he just wanted money and her car,” Kowalewski said.

Kowalewski said he spoke with Vi Ripken later Wednesday morning and she told him the gunman tied her hands and put a blindfold on her, but said he wouldn’t hurt her.

“He lit cigarettes for her, they stopped for food,” Kowalewski said. “He said, ‘I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to take you back,’ and that’s what he did.”

When I first heard about the case I didn’t think the kidnapper knew who she was. Wouldn’t have made a lot of sense, but at least he was nice enough to let her have a smoke even though I am sure that can’t be good for someone her age.