Local blogs were set aflame when a Richmond District parent in San Francisco posted an alert about a suspicious character loitering around a playground.
"I have seen this man 2 times at the lower playground at MLP. He does NOT have children and pretends like he does and is there to do pull ups. He takes pictures of the kids with his phone," wrote one worried observer.
The only problem: the poor guy really was just there to do pull ups. He was using his phone to time himself, not take photos. That's according to the SFPD, which tracked the shocked man down and cleared him of wrongdoing.
But in the days before the case was resolved, online chatter was intense, calling the unknown man a "creepy perv" and stating "I don't like the look of that guy."
The SFPD responded quickly, setting up a stakeout of the park and scouring sex offender databases.
The conversation has now split into two camps: those questioning whether this was a case of community policing gone too far, and those who still don't buy the police exoneration.
No matter which side you come down on, the lessons are clear: keep an eye on your kids, and if you feel like working out, find a better place than a playground.
