Carjacking victim charged with making up abduction to hurry police

Image 1 of 2

Philadelphia police charged the man they say made up a story he'd been carjacked with a child in his vehicle. They say he did it because he wanted police to work faster to find his car.

Marcus Fletcher, 22, was working as a pizza delivery driver when he reported being robbed by two men who took his car at about 10:25pm Monday.

Police say he reported driving to the 4600 block of N. Sydenham Street to make a delivery when he pulled up, got out and approached a man sitting on the steps.

Then, another man approached and pointed a gun at Fletcher. Both took his wallet containing ID and credit cards, $30 in cash, his cell phone and green 1995 Ford Escort, and they drove away.

But police then say Fletcher walked to 1500 Wingohocking and approached officers who were conducting a vehicle investigation.

That's when he "told them that his 4-year-old nephew was inside his vehicle when it was carjacked. Police immediately began sending out flash information and within minutes were able to locate the complainant's vehicle in the area of 4300 N. 16th Street which was parked, locked and unoccupied."

Police say Fletcher then gave conflicting accounts of the robbery, and was vague about the child's identity or his parents.

Then, after several hours, Fletcher "admitted to lying about the child being abducted; he made reference to a prior robbery incident in which he indicated that police did not provide him with what he deemed as adequate service, therefore he made up the aforementioned story to watch the police work harder."

Fletcher is charged with making a false report to police. That's a second-degree misdemeanor.

Police say they're still investigating the robbery.