A dad’s Halloween prank went awry when police turned up at his door to investigate reports of a "kidnapped" man hanging out of his van - before realising it was a plastic arm and leg.
Darren Houlker forgot he’d left the eerie Halloween decoration lodged between the doors of his white van when he took the two-mile trip to visit his dad in Urmston, Greater Manchester on Wednesday morning.
The 49-year-old was shocked when he saw a police officer at his house through his Ring app, so he rushed home to find out what was going on.
When the concerned copper told him they were investigating a reported kidnapping, a grinning Darren asked the officer to check the van.
When the officer took a closer look he laughed, radioed to colleagues to “all stand down”, and even hailed it “one of the best jobs he's been called out to”.
Darren believes a “stupid” motorist who “should go to Specsavers” must have seen the plastic limbs flailing in the wind as he drove and called 999.
However, he's pleased his prank went “perfectly” even if it did go “a bit too far”.
The dad-of-two has even bought some crime tape to go around his van, so he can continue to frighten people over Halloween weekend.
Meanwhile, his Facebook post about the incident has racked up more than 1,900 shares.
Darren, from Urmston, Greater Manchester, said the gag was a “little prank that I do” each year.
“Usually I put it in my car but this year I thought I'd put it in my van because I'm not using the van this week," he said,.
"I nipped out to drop some bits and I forgot about it.
"On the way back I stopped at my brother's house and I could hear sirens, so I thought 'what's going on', then my Ring app pinged and I saw the police outside my door.
"I was worried because I didn't know if my partner had called them, so I flew back home.
"I asked him what the matter was and he said 'we've had a report about kidnapping'. I just said 'mate, go and look at the back of the van'.
"He shut his eyes, looked to the skies and said 'everybody stand down, it's a prosthetic arm and leg'. They must have had a full police search for me.”
Darren said the officer “couldn’t stop laughing” and said it was one of the “best jobs” he’d been called out to.
"The officer said the caller told them it was like someone had been bundled into the van, but you'd be driving erratically if that happened. I was just driving normally,” Darren pointed out.
"Because it was windy as I was driving down the road, I think the arm and leg were moving. That probably added to it. Somebody behind must have thought someone was asking for help."
Darren says the concerned 999 caller must have been a motorist because his neighbours “know what he's like” as they've seen him put the plastic limbs in his car in previous years.
The bouncy castle hire firm owner who lives with his two children Mollie, nine, Jack, 13, and partner Michelle Wood, 44, has said he will have to think of how to go “one better” with next year's prank.
His Facebook post to his business page Jmh Leisure, has since been liked more than 1,200 times and gained more than 500 comments.
"I HONESTLY CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!” the post read.
“Someone has phoned the police because they thought someone was being kidnapped in my van, how f*king stupid are some people. Glad the copper saw the funny side of it."
User Kyle joked: "Oh yeah, because you tend to leave half their body dangling out the boot when you kidnap someone, don't you?"
Steven Davies added: "Unfortunately that's the world we live in. too many KARENS kicking about for my liking."
Greater Manchester Police have been contacted for comment.
