Free ticket to NFL match stunt helped police catch 100 criminals on the run
A TikTok account has revealed just how Washington DC’s police force were able to trick 100 criminals into turning themselves in – by telling them they had won a free ticket to watch their NFL team play.
Back in the 80s and 90s, the Washington Redskins, now known as the Commanders, were one of the winningest teams in the NFL, even going on to win Super Bowl titles in 1982, 1987 and 1991.
While success has evaded them since, they were a franchise with a huge fanbase, which led police to set up a sting by sending out invitations to the last known address of 3,000 criminals in the hope of catching them.
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A video, posted by TikTok user backtotheeighties1985, details just how local police managed to ensnare the criminals in question, which included two murderers.
The female British newsreader in the video said: “And finally, 100 American fugitives have discovered there’s no such thing as a free lunch. They were among 3,000 wanted persons sent invitations to a party and a football match, but they didn’t know the offer to see the Washington Redskins in action had come from the police department.”
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In the ensuing video package, it is revealed the sting operation took weeks for the Washington DC police to set up and coordinate.
Ahead of a Redskins game, they sent out invitations to the on the run criminals last addresses and managed to round-up 100 people.
(Image: backtotheeighties1985/Twitter)
“They’re queuing for a free ticket to see the Redskins football team, a chance few Washington people could resist – which is exactly what the local police were banking on,” added a British male reporter.
“They [Washington’s police] sent out invitations to pick up tickets for yesterday’s game to the last known addresses of 3,000 criminals on the run. The operation took weeks to organise. Waiting in the wings was the Swat team, armed policemen waiting to pounce.
“Claiming your free ticket was easy, all you needed was proof of identity, which the police checked with a team upstairs. The lucky winners, overcome with the prospect of watching their favourite team play waltz off to claim their free tickets.
(Image: backtotheeighties1985/Twitter)
“100 fugitives were arrested, including two murderers. They thought Christmas had come early and were sadly disappointed.”
And naturally of course, there were plenty of commenters who were left asking whether or not this sort of sting operation could be pulled off today.
(Image: backtotheeighties1985/Twitter)
One TikTok user wrote: “Haha they need to do this again” while another added: “whoever came up with that idea must have gotten the biggest bonus that year”.
Another noted that even a police officer dressed up in a chicken costume was “strapped” with a firearm while one user took a shot at Manchester City writing the Premier League champions should give this a go in an effort to try and fill out empty seats at the Etihad.
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