A Bizarre Binghamton Tale: The Vaseline Vandal

Sometimes, a news story is so strange it deserves a second look years later. This is one of those stories.

The Slippery Situation at Motel 6
It was 21 years ago when Binghamton made national headlines for a bizarre event at the Motel 6 in the Town of Chenango. What authorities walked into that day would become one of the most unforgettable (and utterly bizarre) news stories from the Southern Tier.

A Room Full of Vaseline
When police arrived at Room 205 of Motel 6 on Upper Front Street, they were shocked by what they saw. Instead of the typical crime scene or drug-related mess, they found an entirely different kind of chaos. Everything inside the room was covered in Vaseline. The television, carpet, bedding, and curtains - every surface was slick with petroleum jelly.

The Vaseline Vandal Strikes
The man behind the sticky mess was Roger Chamberlain, dubbed the “Vaseline Vandal” by some. He checked into the Motel 6 with 14 jars of Vaseline, proceeded to coat every inch of the room, and then checked out without a word. The motel staff had no idea what had happened until the cleaning crew walked in and was faced with the greasy surprise.

The Cleanup Cost
Motel 6 manager Brian Greene told The Connection that cleaning the room would cost at least $4,000. From the carpet to the curtains, everything had to be scrubbed down and sanitized, leaving the motel with a hefty bill and a strange story for the books.

Caught and Covered in Vaseline
Chamberlain, who was tracked down at a local Econo Lodge, was found “covered from head to toe in Vaseline.” When questioned about his actions, he did not explain and pleaded guilty to criminal mischief. A Broome County judge sentenced him to three years of probation and ordered him to pay the motel $3,886 in damages.

A National Head-Scratcher
This oddball incident even caught the attention of the Washington Post, which called the motel to get the details straight from the manager, Mary Jason. She told them, “You know how hotel rooms have mirrors on the walls? Well, this had a butt mark on it in Vaseline.”

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The Mystery Remains
So, why did Chamberlain do it? After all these years, the mystery remains unsolved. Chamberlain never provided a reason for his bizarre actions, and Broome County Judge Patrick H. Mathews never pressed him for one. It’s a strange tale that still leaves us asking, "Why?"