Security camera video of teens pulling off hoax in Price Chopper parking lot.
What would anyone fake an abduction in the parking lot of a Price Chopper supermarket? All day long we saw the video on the air and online. A dark car speeds into the lot. A young man gets out. He takes a young woman from the back seat. She appears unconcious or lifeless. He puts her body in the trunk and speeds out of the lot. Nearly 24 hours after the moment was caught on security camera video, three teens came forward and admitted to police it was all a hoax. The 17 year old boy and two younger girls were inspired by the movie: Jackass.
In our YouTube world young people seem to be pushing the envelope on bad behavior in an attempt to be the next viral video. We had an example out of the Rochester suburbs earlier this year when those middle school students harassed and threatened the bus monitor. They were so proud of their actions they videotaped it and posted it online. Now it seems this triumverate of teens was seeking their own moment in the sun.
Police have not yet decided which charges are appropriate for the pranksters. Detectives have made it clear this is no laughing matter. It used up valuable resources on the same night one officer had to fire his weapon at a pick up truck that was driven into him. Lives were on the line, but the department's ranks had been thinned by the need to find out whether the attempted abduction was putting a young woman's life in danger.
Whatever the severity of the punishment ends up being the police and the courts should shout it from the mountain top to make sure other foolish young people don't think pulling a hoax like this accomplishes anything at all.
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