MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police say a report that a vehicle was stolen with a 10-year-old girl inside Wednesday was a false alarm.
Police sent out an emphatic set of tweets Wednesday morning stating that a child was inside a vehicle stolen at a shopping center at Macon and Interstate 40, sending out a manhunt and asking the public for information.
A few minutes later, they said they had been given “bogus information” and that “NO child is missing!”
Spokesman Louis Brownlee said a man made up the story about the child, presumably so officers would look for his stolen car faster. The car was stolen but the child was made up.
The suspect was later identified as Deangelo Thompson.
Police said resources were wasted on the search for a girl who didn’t exist.
“We want to be sure that we bring children home safe when they’re reported missing,” Brownlee said.
Thompson was taken into custody and was charged with false reporting.
Sadly, police tell us this kind of thing has happened a number of times before.
They officer this advice, “If your car is stolen, just tell the truth.”