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Waffle House Employee Arrested for April Fool's Prank

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Photo: Eater / The Daily Press /
Hillary Dixler Canavan is Eater's restaurant editor and the author of the publication's debut book, Eater: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes From the Authority on Where to Eat and Why It Matters (Abrams, September 2023). Her work focuses on dining trends and the people changing the industry — and scouting the next hot restaurant you need to try on Eater's annual Best New Restaurant list.

A Waffle House employee in Hampton, Virginia has been arrested for what may well be the stupidest April's Fools Day prank of the year (and not goofy stupid). The Daily Press reports that the employee, Susan Alexandra Tinker, was arrested yesterday for falsely reporting a robbery at the Waffle House to the police, and might serve time in jail for her complete lack of common sense.

According to the Hampton Police media release, Tinker made the emergency 911 call at 5:56am on April 1st. The police responded by sending K9 units to the Waffle House and canvassing the neighborhood, Corporal Mary Shackleford told Wavy.com. While the Waffle House chain has been the setting of violent crimes in the past, police found no evidence of robbery when they arrived on the scene.

Tinker did not explain why she made the call, but the police "investigated the incident and determined that the complaint was a fabrication in celebration of 'April Fool's Day.'" Tinker has been charged with falsely summoning the police, and faces a $2500 fine and up to one year in jail. Here's video from WAVY:

Video: April Fools' joke ends in arrest

· April Fools' joke ends in arrest [Wavy.com, via Gawker]
· Hampton police charge woman in April Fools' prank [TDP]
· All Waffle House Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Crime Coverage on Eater [-E-]

Waffle House

2600 West Mercury Boulevard, Hampton, VA 23666