Updated with new video report Oct. 15, 2009, 1:27 p.m.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A woman being driven around in a rented limousine pulled up at a coat store and announced she'd won the lottery and would pay for everyone's purchases, police said, but she ended up causing a riot when customers realized it was a hoax.
Angry customers threw merchandise around and looted, leaving the store looking as though a hurricane had passed through it, police said.
Linda Brown was arrested Tuesday after an hours-long shopping spree that began when she hired a stretch Hummer limousine to drop her off at a Burlington Coat Factory store, police Sgt. Lt. Michael Deakins said. Brown walked to a cash register and loudly announced she had won the lottery and would pay for each person's merchandise up to $500, he said.
"Well, of course, people like to hear that," Deakins said. "Apparently they were in line calling relatives who were not at the store and told them to come."
People flooded the registers as cashiers began ringing up purchase after purchase, but Brown had not yet paid the bill, Deakins said. At least 500 people filled the aisles and another 1,000 were outside trying to get in, he said.
"She was telling people she won $1.5 million," Deakins said. "But it ends up she didn't win anything. She had no money to pay for anything."
About an hour later, Brown had the limousine driver take her to a bank to withdraw money, but she returned empty-handed, police Detective Steven Nace said. By then, store employees had called in two dozen police officers to handle the crowds.
Shopper Candace Jordan said she told Brown she didn't need clothes, she needed help paying her rent.
"And she said, 'How much is it?'" Jordan told WBNS-TV. "And she promptly wrote out a check."
By the time employees realized Brown didn't have any cash to pay, police said, she already had taken off in the limo.
That's when angry customers, realizing they weren't getting free coats, began throwing merchandise on the floor and grabbing clothes without paying for them, Nace said.
"Everybody was like, 'I still want my free stuff,' and that started the riot," he said. "It looks like (Hurricane) Katrina went through the store."
Police said they have no way of tracking down the customers who stole items and fled, but they're reviewing surveillance video.
When the limousine driver realized he wasn't going to be paid the $900 Brown owed him for the day's rental, he turned her in to police, Deakins said.
Brown, 44, was arrested on three outstanding warrants for aggravated menacing, misuse of a 911 system and causing false alarms. She was jailed late Wednesday, but no charges had been filed against her related to the coat store chaos pending a mental health evaluation.
Police said they didn't know if Brown had a lawyer. No telephone number was listed under her name, and no one answered repeated phone calls at the Franklin County Jail.
A spokeswoman for Burlington Coat Factory, which is based in Burlington, N.J., and has more than 300 stores across the country, said late Wednesday she couldn't comment on the incident.
When I saw this on world news last night I thought, "how psychotic she looked." Did she not think of how much trouble she was getting herself into? But then I thought, maybe she had a dream that was so real, she actual thought she had won. OR She had the actual winning numbers on an old ticket and thought she actually won. OR
SHE WANTED ATTENTION!!
I pray that God helps her through what ever her problem is.
"Brown, 44, was arrested on three outstanding warrants for aggravated menacing, misuse of a 911 system and causing false alarms. She was jailed late Wednesday, but no charges had been filed against her related to the coat store chaos pending a mental health evaluation."
It's obvious to me she's not running on all cylinders. This story is so funny. It's incredible that people would have the nerve to run out of the store with coats they didn't pay for. Apparently, if someone says they'll pay for your coat and they don't, people still think they can walk out with a coat they didn't pay for.
BTW, this has happened twice before under similar circumstances: Two people in different states ran a hoax Craigslist ad saying anyone who showed up at an address could take anything they wanted. In the first case, the house was in a rural area and people came and cleaned out the house while the owner while still there. When the owner insisted nothing was being given away, people took things anyway. When police arrived, they had to chase down people driving away with the owner's possessions. In the second case, a disgruntled former renter (or relative) ran a Craigslist ad for a vacant house. Because the owner was not there, people literally took everything including the kitchen sink!
No she didn't, Obama was supposed to write her a stimulas check for her vote, but hasn't gotten around to her, because he's jet setting around the globe with his Obamanites in tow...!
This woman needs help like the rest of this country.
She hired a limousine and then went to a Burlington Coat Factory? That should tell you something right there!
This is so Funny, True why such a low end coat factory I agree that should of open some eyes.
It would have been even more insane if she actually had won the 1.5 million.
Giving $500 each to 1500 people would have taken most of her after tax winnings.
Just goes to show you that you don't have to win a lottery jackpot to experience the foolishness of winning one.
That is so sad. Some people will fall for anything. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
wow people are so gullible and watch way too much Television :
just who walks in a store and tell everyone they hit the lottery ?
people are STUPID ......
When I saw this on world news last night I thought, "how psychotic she looked." Did she not think of how much trouble she was getting herself into? But then I thought, maybe she had a dream that was so real, she actual thought she had won. OR She had the actual winning numbers on an old ticket and thought she actually won. OR
SHE WANTED ATTENTION!!
I pray that God helps her through what ever her problem is.
wow, just wow.
"Brown, 44, was arrested on three outstanding warrants for aggravated menacing, misuse of a 911 system and causing false alarms. She was jailed late Wednesday, but no charges had been filed against her related to the coat store chaos pending a mental health evaluation."
It's obvious to me she's not running on all cylinders.
This story is so funny. It's incredible that people would have the nerve to run out of the store with coats they didn't pay for. Apparently, if someone says they'll pay for your coat and they don't, people still think they can walk out with a coat they didn't pay for.
BTW, this has happened twice before under similar circumstances: Two people in different states ran a hoax Craigslist ad saying anyone who showed up at an address could take anything they wanted. In the first case, the house was in a rural area and people came and cleaned out the house while the owner while still there. When the owner insisted nothing was being given away, people took things anyway. When police arrived, they had to chase down people driving away with the owner's possessions. In the second case, a disgruntled former renter (or relative) ran a Craigslist ad for a vacant house. Because the owner was not there, people literally took everything including the kitchen sink!
All I can say is "Wow...".
The whole thing is crazy!
According to her daughter, the woman is mentally ill and went off her medication.
http://www.breitbart.tv/womans-lie-about-lottery-win-triggers-riot-in-ohio-store/
LOL such a sense of entitlement, lets loot and wreck someones hard earned business.
oh its so funny, but so sad.
No she didn't, Obama was supposed to write her a stimulas check for her vote, but hasn't gotten around to her, because he's jet setting around the globe with his Obamanites in tow...!
This woman needs help like the rest of this country.