NeoConMan Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Some people just, well, you know...... Lottery hoax causes riot at Ohio coat store COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A woman being driven around in a rented limousine pulled up at a coat store and announced she'd won the lottery and would pay for everyone's purchases, police said, but she ended up causing a riot when customers realized it was a hoax. Angry customers threw merchandise around and looted, leaving the store looking as though a hurricane had passed through it, police said. Linda Brown was arrested Tuesday after an hours-long shopping spree that began when she hired a stretch Hummer limousine to drop her off at a Burlington Coat Factory store, police Sgt. Lt. Michael Deakins said. Brown walked to a cash register and loudly announced she had won the lottery and would pay for each person's merchandise up to $500, he said. "Well, of course, people like to hear that," Deakins said. "Apparently they were in line calling relatives who were not at the store and told them to come." People flooded the registers as cashiers began ringing up purchase after purchase, but Brown had not yet paid the bill, Deakins said. At least 500 people filled the aisles and another 1,000 were outside trying to get in, he said. "She was telling people she won $1.5 million," Deakins said. "But it ends up she didn't win anything. She had no money to pay for anything." About an hour later, Brown had the limousine driver take her to a bank to withdraw money, but she returned empty-handed, police Detective Steven Nace said. By then, store employees had called in two dozen police officers to handle the crowds. Shopper Candace Jordan said she told Brown she didn't need clothes, she needed help paying her rent. "And she said, 'How much is it?'" Jordan told WBNS-TV. "And she promptly wrote out a check." By the time employees realized Brown didn't have any cash to pay, police said, she already had taken off in the limo. That's when angry customers, realizing they weren't getting free coats, began throwing merchandise on the floor and grabbing clothes without paying for them, Nace said. "Everybody was like, 'I still want my free stuff,' and that started the riot," he said. "It looks like (Hurricane) Katrina went through the store." Police said they have no way of tracking down the customers who stole items and fled, but they're reviewing surveillance video. When the limousine driver realized he wasn't going to be paid the $900 Brown owed him for the day's rental, he turned her in to police, Deakins said. Brown, 44, was arrested on three outstanding warrants for aggravated menacing, misuse of a 911 system and causing false alarms. She was jailed late Wednesday, but no charges had been filed against her related to the coat store chaos pending a mental health evaluation. Police said they didn't know if Brown had a lawyer. No telephone number was listed under her name, and no one answered repeated phone calls at the Franklin County Jail. A spokeswoman for Burlington Coat Factory, which is based in Burlington, N.J., and has more than 300 stores across the country, said late Wednesday she couldn't comment on the incident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 If she was in her right mind, then this was a most stOoooopid prank to play. If she isn't in her right mind, she needs hellp. This: "That's when angry customers, realizing they weren't getting free coats, began throwing merchandise on the floor and grabbing clothes without paying for them, Nace said. "Everybody was like, 'I still want my free stuff,' and that started the riot," he said. "It looks like (Hurricane) Katrina went through the store." Is just plain old unadulterated, childish, lacking in good upbringing, greed. I hope they find some of those dirt bags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I don't know who disgusts me more - the lunatic who who claimed she would pay for everything or the greedy pigs who decided to loot the store when they found out they weren't going to be *given* free stuff from the lunatic who has nothing to do with the store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibsonByBirth Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Think how much worse it would have been if she had done this at Guitar Center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 In today's age of instant information, instant messaging and being able to tell an infinite number of people about 'free stuff', one will have to think twice about offering to buy a round of drinks for the house. It could cause a riot. Although, I think beer drinkers are a bit more civilized than the above aforementioned coat shoppers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Kind of like the local GC on Presidents Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillybilly Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I don't know who disgusts me more - the lunatic who who claimed she would pay for everything or the greedy pigs who decided to loot the store when they found out they weren't going to be *given* free stuff from the lunatic who has nothing to do with the store. true dat. definitely the latter IMO. i want to ask a question about this incident, but i am afraid it isnt politically correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbtop Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Your answer is probably..yes. Same people standing in line for "free" money last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 That's when angry customers' date=' realizing they weren't getting free coats, began throwing merchandise on the floor and grabbing clothes without paying for them, Nace said. "Everybody was like, 'I still want my free stuff,' and that started the riot," he said. [/quote']wow...some people need to understand that things can be taken away..... I know six year olds who would've handled it better pathetic](*,) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 Reminds me of a story several years ago. A public transit bus was involved in a pretty ugly accident on a busy city street in Houston. There were like 30 passengers transported by ambulance. Many gave statements to the TV cameras, alluding to their 'injuries' and interest in legal action. Turns out there were only like 6 passengers on the bus at the time. The driver didn't want to say anything, but witnesses who boarded the bus first to help and offer aid said there was hardly anybody on board but then more people showed up..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Think how much worse it would have been if she had done this at Guitar Center. Can you say "Scratch & Dent"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 And? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Reminds me of a story several years ago.A public transit bus was involved in a pretty ugly accident on a busy city street in Houston. There were like 30 passengers transported by ambulance. Many gave statements to the TV cameras' date=' alluding to their 'injuries' and interest in legal action. Turns out there were only like 6 passengers on the bus at the time. The driver didn't want to say anything, but witnesses who boarded the bus first to help and offer aid said there was hardly anybody on board but then more people showed up.....[/quote'] Something similar happened about 20 years ago in Chicargo. The "L" train fell off the tracks. The Chicago police had to cordon off the area to keep people from getting ON the wrecked train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Natural Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Think how much worse it would have been if she had done this at Guitar Center. ...Oh, the HUMANITY!.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 wow...some people need to understand that things can be taken away..... I know six year olds who would've handled it better pathetic](*' date=') Do I need to get Chris Hanson on you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Do I need to get Chris Hanson on you? well I do! now loaf go... well you get the picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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