Police swarmed a car in Dudley after receiving reports of dead bodies in the back seat, only to discover the 'bodies' were skeleton props belonging to a local lecturer.
Incident at Castle Gate Island
Luke Orchard, 38, was driving on Castle Gate Island when he was boxed in by multiple police cars. Officers surrounded his vehicle after a concerned motorist reported seeing two dead bodies on the back seat.
Orchard, a lecturer at Dudley College, uses the skeletons as teaching aids and props for his band, Tumanduumband. He explained the misunderstanding on Facebook, stating he was returning from the gym when the police pulled him over.
Police Response
Initially, Orchard thought the police activity was unrelated to him. He had been playing loud music and did not realize he was the target. He told the BBC: "I had my music really loud as normal, driving along, couple of police cars went past full speed. So I pulled over and then carried on and then there was another couple that came past and I thought: 'Goodness me, something is going on'."
When police boxed him in and surrounded his car, they asked for his identity and destination. Upon learning of the report, Orchard realized the confusion. He said: "When I asked what was wrong, they said somebody had reported a car driving around with two dead bodies, then it all clicked."
Orchard's Reaction
Orchard admitted he had grown accustomed to the skeletons in his car and had not considered how they might appear to others. He said: "I am that used to having them in the car that I'd forgotten it was a thing. I was still really shaken up... about half an hour afterwards I'd calmed down and found it really funny, but at the time it was not funny."
He now plans to cover the models when traveling, though he joked they are useful for deterring thieves.
