Abduction text threats are hoaxes, AEDC says

Friday, February 27, 2009

Area authorities say that cell phone text messages warning of abductions and rape are a hoax.

According to Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) spokesman Joel Fortner, on Wednesday "there were erroneous text messages sent to several residents in our vicinity stating that AEDC has issued a security bulletin advising women to be careful of abductions and heinous crimes happening in our local area."

AEDC did not release any such warning, Fortner said.

The text messages warn women shopping in the areas of Tullahoma and Manchester not to remove fliers from their vehicle windshields, claiming that when the women get out to remove the paper from their windows, two men will knock them out and kidnap them.

"There is no basis to support the text message claim that women are in particular danger of being abducted and assaulted at the base," Fortner stated.

"This text message hoax notwithstanding, be assured AEDC regularly partners with local authorities to help ensure a safe community. If you witness suspicious or criminal activities, please continue to report them to the proper authorities," Fortner said.

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My wife got one of these texts and we live close to that area and she was scared to death.

-- Posted by greasemonkey on Fri, Feb 27, 2009, at 12:39 PM

Huh? I am confused now the previous story was of a woman that WAS abducted and taken close to the base and raped. What gives here?

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Local woman reports abduction, sexual assault

Friday, February 27, 2009

A Bedford County woman was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted last week, according to investigators of the Tullahoma Police Department.

According to a report by Tullahoma police, a 41-year-old woman said she was in the parking area of Tullahoma Bowling Lanes on Feb. 19 when a white male approached her as she was getting into her parked vehicle and forced her into the car at gunpoint.

The victim also said the suspect got into the passenger seat of her vehicle and robbed her of an undisclosed amount of cash.

The assailant then ordered the victim to drive toward Arnold Air Force Base, the report read, and the victim states that she was ordered to pull off of the Wattendorf Highway onto a secondary road leading to a secluded area.

-- Posted by Brett Favre on Fri, Feb 27, 2009, at 12:47 PM

I also received that text message and it said that two women had been abducted and one found dead after removing the flyers from their windshields. The woman in the other story was at the bowling alley and there was no mention of flyers. I'm not saying there's not an issue, just that it is different from the text message.

-- Posted by LosingHope on Fri, Feb 27, 2009, at 1:11 PM

These text messages are probably related to the same chain e-mail that's been going around for the past year. I've gotten the same message about flyers on the back windows of cars for forever.

-- Posted by jtjustice30 on Fri, Feb 27, 2009, at 2:54 PM