A Texas college student who wrote “I NEED HELP I got kidnapped” on a restaurant receipt was arrested after an hours-long search by police revealed it was a prank.
Cops tell ABC affiliate WFAA that surveillance video of the group showed that nothing appeared to be wrong with the alleged kidnap victim, 19-year-old Vincent Oggero.
Officers said claim they were able to track down the address of one diner to a townhome complex and confirmed with people living there that the person at the table had just left with Oggero, who also lived in the complex.
When officers got to Oggero’s home, people there told them he was at another person’s home, also in the complex. Officers went to that home and found a large group of people gathered and asked to speak to Oggero.
According to investigators, Oggero apologized for what he wrote on the receipt, claiming it was just a “prank.”
Oggero was formally arrested on April 16 and charged with making a false police report. He posted a $5,000 bond and has since been released.