Find a sumo outfit? Grayslake teacher wants to hear from you

An all-points bulletin of sorts is out in search of a sumo wrestling outfit with a red belt and a mat, possibly last seen fleeing a pickup truck in Lake County on Dec. 13.

Grayslake Central High School teacher Katie Titus has issued the APB, not the FBI or local authorities. She rented the red-belted, foam-filled sumo outfit and safety mat for her physical science class, and is anxious for information on their whereabouts.

Both items flew out of her truck while she was returning them to a Mundelein shop, and now Titus might be on the hook for more than $600 in replacement costs if they aren't found.

"Someone probably picked it up on the side of the road," she said.

Titus rented two sumo suits - one with a red belt, the other blue - and the large mat as way to spice up her class' chapter on Newton's Laws of Motion last month. Some students donned the costumes and wrestled to demonstrate how sumo involves the three laws of motion, such as for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Her trip originated near routes 83 and 120 in Grayslake. Titus said she and her father traveled Route 83 most of the way and discovered the red-belted outfit and mat were missing when they reached Clowning Around & Celebration Authority in Mundelein.

"Believe me, we've played it over and over," Titus said. "We replayed the route four times."

Titus said her dad tied down the sumo outfits and mat in her 2006 Honda Ridgeline pickup. Titus said the wind whipped around the morning of Dec. 13 as she and her father traveled to return the outfits, but everything seemed secure.

"They're very heavy,"she said. "It's crazy that they would fly out."

Mitch Dicker, who operates Clowning Around & Celebration Authority, said he'd welcome the return of the sumo suit and mat. He didn't get into specifics about replacement costs.

"We'll take it back with no questions asked," Dicker said Wednesday.

Titus said she used $175 in Grayslake Central money to rent the two sumo outfits and mat. As it stands now, she'd have to pay for the loss.

Scott Fech, director of staff services at Grayslake High School District 127, said officials have informed students about the missing sumo costume and mat in the hope some information will surface.

Fech said it's likely Grayslake Central administrators would discuss the situation whenever a final demand for payment is made on Titus.

Anyone with knowledge of the missing sumo suit and mat is asked to e-mail ktitus@d127.org.