Collegian Online Edition

Punish fakers for wasted efforts

The growing trend these days seems to be an adult version of “hide and seek.”

False reports of abductions and kidnappings are occurring all over the United States.

Thousands of dollars, time and energy are wasted on these bogus reports.

Family and friends are devastated to find their loved ones missing and equally devastated to find it all a lie.

Audrey Seiler, a University of Wisconsin student, was reported missing in late March of this year. She was found four days later, and police announced the abduction was a hoax after discovering Seiler purchased the rope and materials she said the kidnapper used to capture her.

Seiler reportedly wanted attention from her boyfriend, who she believed was talking to another girl on the Internet.

In another incident, two women from North Texas called 911 to report they had been abducted and locked in a car. One hour later police located the car on a boat ramp at Lake Worth and discovered the women were lying. Both women face criminal charges.

Helicopters were called out in both incidences, search parties were organized, families panicked and police hours were wasted, not to mention the financial cost.

When will this end? Will there come a time when police will not respond as quickly because citizens have cried wolf too many times?

Now children are reportedly faking kidnappings.

In Reno, Nev., a 10-year-old and an 11-year-old were late coming home from school, so they made up a story that a guy with a mask grabbed them and they escaped. The girls were let go with citations.

Children are receiving the message that it is okay to lie to the police and call 911 for bogus reasons.

Young children may not know the consequences of their actions, but adults have no excuse.

Think of the family’s mental anguish during the search. It must be hard to have to find a picture of your daughter so police can make a “missing” flyer.

Family and friends of the people making these false claims may have missed the warning signs.

Whether each claim was made for attention or as an excuse for coming home later, these people have certain characteristics that all parents should be made aware of.

In Seiler’s case, police estimated more than $70,000 was spent on the search. In other words, $70,000 of taxpayer money down the drain.

Hours were wasted that police could have used to capture murderers or rapists or thieves.

And for what? A girl who was mad at her boyfriend.

The police should not be criticized for their efforts. Each case was handled by the book. How could they know if these claims were a hoax or not? Even if they thought it might have been, at the risk of being wrong, they had to treat it as a serious case.

Making false reports to police is a misdemeanor offense. In the future, the punishment for lying to law enforcement should be a felony. After all, if making a fake ID is a felony, then bogus claims should be too.