Man Complains About Amber Alert, Gets Arrested

When police in Ontario, Canada, put out an Amber Alert for five missing children, a man called 911 within minutes—to complain about the alert. Police say 70-year-old Hamilton resident Doug Bagshaw was arrested and charged with mischief because he called 911 when there was no emergency, trying to "purposely tie up" the emergency line, the CBC reports. "Simply put, he was angry about receiving the Amber Alert on his phone because he was trying to rest," says Acting Det. Sgt. Lisa Chambers. "And then he further told us he would continue to call in response to the ongoing alerts."

Police say complaints are common after Amber Alerts to find missing children go out, but this is believed to be the first time somebody has been charged in connection with one, the Hamilton Spectator reports. Chambers says she finds the complaints frustrating. "I never thought the day would come where I'd have to explain to an adult the importance of not tying up a 911 line and the importance of an Amber Alert … in locating a child who may be in danger," she says. Police say that after the alert Bagshaw complained about went out around 5pm on Oct. 1, information received from callers helped them locate the five children. They were at a rental cottage with their father, who had violated a temporary custody agreement. (More Amber Alert stories.)