Manager strip-searched teen

DentonRC.com ^ | 03-27-04 | Associated Press

[jaykay]

Manager strip-searched teen

Act ordered by caller claiming to be police

08:41 PM CST on Saturday, March 27, 2004

Associated Press

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. - Authorities are investigating a report that a manager of a fast-food restaurant conducted a strip search of a teenage female customer. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said an unidentified caller pretending to be a police officer directed the 39-year-old manager of a Taco Bell restaurant to conduct the search Monday after giving a general description of a theft suspect.

The girl, a 17-year-old high school student, was taken to a back room. There, she was strip-searched, cavity-searched and forced to do jumping jacks by the manager, who reportedly was acting on directions from the caller, authorities said.

The girl's parents notified sheriff's deputies. Sheriff Arpaio said no arrests have been made in the case. But similar calls have been made in several other states, including Alaska, Utah, Ohio and Massachusetts, said the sheriff, who said he's sending a letter to Phoenix-area restaurants warning employees of the fraud.

[rogueleader]

similar calls have been made in several other states, including Alaska, Utah, Ohio and Massachusetts,

This was an old Internet joke that a lot of sicko pervs on the Internet have been carrying out. Hopefully, they all end up in jail.

Until then, it would be nice if fast food managers were less gullible.

[dandelion]

There was NO call. If it was my daughter, the only call would be to the coroner's office, telling him to pick up the body of the manager...

[Robert_Paulson2]

however to me, who only read the article, and had not the benefit of that UNIQUE TO YOU knowlege, the article doesn't say....

now I know about a dozen Taco Bell managers down there.
not ONE is a man. Not even amongst the "assistants" hence the reason for my question.

and they are not all that smart either.
I can see at least five or six who might fall for this.

[ApplegateRanch]

This particular scam, yes.

From Post #20: Arpaio said. It appears the scam has been circulating since 1999. A person or persons call fast-food restaurants pretending to be law enforcement officers or corporate directors looking to arrest store employees, Arpaio said."

We had a case here in SD earlier this month for sure, and I believe a second before that this year.

There was a case on the east coast a couple weeks prior; there is the list of states at the end of this particular article.

There's the Indiana case cited in the Ananova story, in post #24.

Most I've heard about are identical: Caller poses as cop; asks about a female employee who is 'wanted'; tells manager to strip search; always mentions 'jumping jacks'.

[Robert_Paulson2]

If there was a physical cavity search.
genital rape or anal rape charges would be appropriate.

[Truthsayer20]

I think lesson here is to teach your children to be independent and assertive. I can't imagine a female from my family going along with this kind of invasion of privacy. Cavity searches by a male manager??? Have people become such total sheep that they do anything and subject to anything when a supposed cop is doing the ordering? Unbelievable.

[DB]

License plates may be more appropriate...

[jaykay]

Hmm, now that you mention it, I wonder why they don't mention the gender of the manager in the article. Seems like too pertinent a fact for the reporter and editor to leave it out.

[scott7278]

Okay, the strip search is bad enough, but a cavity search? What kind of moron would think that a cop would have the manager of a fast-food restaurant do something like that?

And I thought dropping a phone in a bucket of water for some test that the phone company is supposedly putting on was ridiculous.

[GeronL]

It reminds me of those talk and FM radio host calls to stores in the middle of the night and get those people to do really stupid things.

[jaykay]

Yes! Demand that the cop come in person. If you haven't committed a crime, you should want the police to arrive. Yell and make a scene if you have to.

[greasepaint]

What is the street address of the store involved?
What is the name of the alleged perpetrators?
Why are these alleged people allowed to remain
anonymous?

[rmmcdaniell]

Well, if this girl gets at least a marginal attorney, she'll own that Taco Bell and the managers house, car...

Thats probably why she went along with the strip search instead of running. In fact, I wonder if the two weren't in on this together to split the spoils.

[jaykay]

You might be onto something. This has happened in other states. I wonder if the restaurants involved were sued and how much they settled for or paid out in damages?

If it's that type of scam, the strip-search doesn't even have to happen. She says it happened, he "admits" that it happened and cites the cop on the phone. He isn't blamed, she gets to sue, but goes after the restaurant and not the manager. It would be worth looking into for the investigators.

[baltodog]

I cannot believe this is true.

This is the oldest gag in the book.

My 10-year old knows about this joke.

[Gorzaloon]

Well, if this girl gets at least a marginal attorney, she'll own that Taco Bell and the managers house, car...

Yes, the manager's house in LaJolla and both Jaguars.

[Paul_B]

Jumping jacks? Give me a break. Forget about the "caller" aspect.

[jaykay]

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0327netacobell27.html

FOUNTAIN HILLS - Authorities say a 39-year-old Taco Bell manager forced a 17-year-old female employee to strip and endure a body search after a caller posing as a police officer gave him instructions to do so at the Fountain Hills restaurant this week.
snip

This article identifies the manager as "he." But it also says the girl was an employee, not a customer.

[jaykay]

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0327netacobell27.html

FOUNTAIN HILLS - Authorities say a 39-year-old Taco Bell manager forced a 17-year-old female employee to strip and endure a body search after a caller posing as a police officer gave him instructions to do so at the Fountain Hills restaurant this week.
snip

This article identifies the manager as "he." But it also says the girl was an employee, not a customer.

[jaykay]

Opps, I see now that you already noted that article. Never mind.