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Lottery hoax causes riot at Ohio coat store
Associated Press ^ | Oct 14, 9:09 PM EDT | MEGHAN BARR

Posted on 10/14/2009 6:53:44 PM PDT by BenLurkin

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.

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: hoax; lottery; wheremypieatfoo
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They got punked by this person and so they tear up the store.

What is wrong with people?

1 posted on 10/14/2009 6:53:44 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

Interesting analogy for voting for Obama.. he promises the world and delivers nothing.


2 posted on 10/14/2009 6:55:29 PM PDT by mnehring
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To: BenLurkin

Why did that idiot come back to the store?

Thats my first question.

If I win the lottery, I am NOT going to Burlington Coat Factory. For a while anyways.


3 posted on 10/14/2009 6:57:19 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: BenLurkin

Obama Voters.


4 posted on 10/14/2009 6:57:40 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: mnehring
>"Interesting analogy for voting for Obama.. "

Pay attention to the aftermath. It will be very similar.

5 posted on 10/14/2009 6:57:56 PM PDT by rawcatslyentist (Ifanationexpects tobe ignorantandfree,inastateofcivilization,itexpects whatneverwas andnever will be)
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To: humblegunner; BenLurkin

6 posted on 10/14/2009 6:58:33 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: BenLurkin
It sounds like that this was a case of someone a few bricks shy of a load rather than an intentional hoax.
7 posted on 10/14/2009 6:58:56 PM PDT by apillar
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To: BenLurkin
Captain Obvious says this is akin to yelling "fire" in a crowded theater.
8 posted on 10/14/2009 7:02:36 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA (Obama, Hitler, Stalin: Who are 3 people nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.)
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To: BenLurkin
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."

9 posted on 10/14/2009 7:03:39 PM PDT by digger48
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To: BenLurkin

10 posted on 10/14/2009 7:08:03 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: GeronL

Most lottery winners ended up back at Burlington (or equivalent) within a year. En route it was all Nordy’s, baby!


11 posted on 10/14/2009 7:09:09 PM PDT by EDINVA (Obama CAN'T see the Olympics from his back porch !)
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To: EDINVA

MegaMillion Jackpot is $200 million on Friday.

The lump sum is around $129 million.

After taxes thats about $400


12 posted on 10/14/2009 7:10:45 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: BenLurkin

Free bail-outs, free stimulus money, free gasoline, free cash from Obama’s stash...so why not free clothes?

Well, for some, there actually were free clothes. Just like that dude with the free Michelob during Katrine. It’s called theft. Except when the gummint does it, then it’s called taxes!


13 posted on 10/14/2009 7:11:26 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: digger48

“It looks like (Hurricane) Katrina went through the store.”

It did... In a sense.


14 posted on 10/14/2009 7:11:39 PM PDT by AngryCapitalist (PUSH HAS NOW COME TO SHOVE!)
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To: AngryCapitalist

Probably the same “demographics” that we saw in Katrina. Obama’s people.


15 posted on 10/14/2009 7:18:39 PM PDT by AUH2O Repub (Palin/Hunter 2012)
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To: GeronL

‘bout right !


16 posted on 10/14/2009 7:20:13 PM PDT by EDINVA (Obama CAN'T see the Olympics from his back porch !)
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To: GeronL

WHAT?
KA-CHING$$$$$$KA-CHING$$$$$$KA-CHING$$$$$$KA-CHING$$$$$$

SAY WHAT?
OH MAN, :(

LET’S BURN THIS ****** DOWN


17 posted on 10/14/2009 7:20:42 PM PDT by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: BenLurkin

Some of the same types of folks that lined up in Detroit last week for their “free $3000”.

www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/homeless_assistance_10609


18 posted on 10/14/2009 7:21:55 PM PDT by festusbanjo (Barry makes Jimmy look qualified and makes Slick Willie look honest.)
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To: BenLurkin

“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.”

So, basically, it wasn’t enough that someone was seemingly going to do them a good turn. They had to make sure everyone they knew could get some gravy.

Swell.*

*Said in very best Clint Eastwood voice.


19 posted on 10/14/2009 7:22:03 PM PDT by DemforBush (Somebody wake me when sanity has returned to the nation.)
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To: Doogle

I don’t understand why the hoaxer would come back.


20 posted on 10/14/2009 7:34:48 PM PDT by GeronL
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