FAKE NEWPAPER STORIES

One of the true loves of my life is successfully pulling off a practical joke on thousands of people without ever being caught. The story below is fake. I made it up on June 16, 2004. And yet, several thousand people read it, beleived it, and even commented that this guy must not have a clue (If only they knew who the really clueless person was, lol).

I don't want to spoil the story for you, so I'll explain more - after you read it. I will tell you, however, that this story went out with another newspaper article (a real one) about a man who destroyed half the local town with an armored (and enclosed) bulldozer. That one was real, I even linked it to CNN.com where that story was originally reported. In reality I was just setting people up to believe the second (fake) story (as seen below), by providing credibility to the first (real) newspaper article.

Thousands of people beleived the following was a REAL newspaper article...

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Ft Myers, Fl - Daily News - 12 June, 2004
Teenage boy arrested in Super Glue incident
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Theodore E, Bahr, age 17, was arrested by Ft Myers Sheriff's deputies after he and two accomplishes age 14 and 12 (News Daily policy is not to release the names of minors) were found glued to the spot when approached by officers about what is becoming known as a sticky situation.

Edison mall security guards became suspicious of foul play after several customers complained of a sticky substance adhering to their shoes

In fact, one of those who was most vocal was a female shopper, Trish La More, who arrived at the information desk wearing only one shoe. She was complaining that her other shoe was "stuck" to the floor.

By the time that security was alerted several mall shoppers were walking around bare foot or in socks staring in perplexity at their shoes which were stuck to the floor.

At first nothing was readily visible until security officers tried to remove an elderly mall walkers' tennis shoes after he was stopped dead in his tracks. Officer Patrick J. O'Malley, a twelve year veteran of the Ft Myers police noted a suspicious substance on the mall tile. He said that the substance was "clear, had a mild odor and was slightly tacky in nature" when he first noted it while assisting the mall walker.

When O'Malley's, fingers stuck together he realized that there had either been some kind of a chemical spill, which he deemed unlikely, or that someone was probably pulling a variation on the "Silver Dollar" prank and that the substance was probably Super Glue.

The "Silver Dollar" prank generally involves teenagers Super Gluing silver dollars to the mall floor and then standing around watching as mall shoppers stop and try to pick up the immovable object.

Since they hadn't found any silver dollars, officers assumed that pranksters were intentionally leaving a trail of Super Glue or a similar substance on the mall floorways.

Mall security immediately closed down a 500 foot section of the mall but by that time the sticky substance had been tracked from one end of the mall to the other.

Those fortunate enough to be walking at a steady pace never noticed a thing, as the substance took time to dry, and so many of them walked, leaving a trail, but with no ill effects upon themselves. However, those who had the misfortune to walk through the substance and then stop to window shop found themselves in a sticky situation from which the only escape appeared to be removal of their footwear

Mall maintenance staff were called in to clean up the substance before reopening the mallway. A debate then broke out over the best way to clean up the unknown substance. Fortunately, and with a touch humor, the cleanup debate was solved by a six year old bystander, Michael J. Hunt, who suggested that they just wait a few minutes and "Let the glue dry." Ten minutes later the mallway reopened.

Meanwhile Security officers searched for anyone who had been engaged in suspicious behavior. As part of their search they included places where the pranksters might hangout to view their work. What they found on the second floor next to escalator amazed them.

Theodore Bahr was standing by the railing looking over the mezzanine below. Watching. When officers approached him they asked him if he had "seen any suspicious behavior" Bahr replied, "No." As officers continued to question Bahr they became suspicious because Bahr continued to face the railing instead of facing them. When they asked him to turn around Bahr replied, "I can't".

Bahr broke into tears as he explained that he and friends had been upset by treatment earlier in the day by mall security and so had come back just "having some fun." It turns out that one of the tubes of Super Glue he had hidden in his pants had leaked onto the floor as he watched and Bahr was stuck tight. When Bahr has reached down to undo his shoes he had gotten Super Glue on his hands which he then tried to wipe off on the railing. It took the Ft Myers fire department forty-five minutes to free Bahr from the railing.

After Bahr became glued to the spot his accomplices decided not to stick around leaving Bahr feeling all alone and trapped. Charges are pending.

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Amazingly "not one of my readers" realized that this was a hoax. Thousands upon thousands of people read this story and not a single one of them caught on. It wasn't as if I didn't them any clues. My name is BaddTeddy. The main character in this newspaper article was Theodore E. Bahr (Ted E. Bear). The story took place in the city where I live (Ft Myers, FL). The newspaper doesn't exist. I even had a six year old solve the problem about what to do with the glue (let it dry). Like the police (Officer Patrick J. O'Malley, lol) are going to listen to a six year old. Come one! Lol.

If these clues were not enough, my readers (I love you) should have learned from past experiences such as when... umm.. maybe I better not... some of them still don't know...

Lets just say that Teddy Bears just love to have fun.......

Great Bigg Teddy Bear Huggs...

BaddTeddy