The Chicago Police Department has had a rough go of it of late, what with the Jessie Smullett case blowing up and the shooting death of an attempted carjacking suspect in the city’s Loop business district bringing unwanted publicity. But on Tuesday, police scored one for the good guys, and got a lunch out of it in the bargain.
Police shut down a portion of Chicago’s State Street at high noon Tuesday following reports of a suspicious object on the major shopping thoroughfare. Pedestrians and auto traffic were blocked off and a nearby rapid-transit station shut down while police investigated the incident.
Block Club Chicago reported on its Twitter feed that sharp-eyed crime buff Eric Tendian was the first to catch the culprit red-handed: None other than the infamous Chef Boyardee. Seems someone had taken a can of ravioli, attached it to some skate wheels and tacked what looked like an antenna on the back, then guided the contraption into the middle of State Street, perhaps in recognition that its “Great Street” reputation was worthy of the display of one of Conagra Brands’ CAG, +1.38% signature products.
Eric Tendian/CrimeIsDown.com via Twitter
Block Club Chicago reported that officers spoke to witnesses and detained one person for questioning. But Twitter user Eric Tendian reported that the object was a toy created by a student at a DePaul University building on the street as a class project.
https://t.co/8atjS7aZLm
— Eric Tendian (@EricTendian) April 30, 2019
And Twitter was amused.
A DePaul class project? Give that student a Chef Boy r D-minus!
— CWBChicago (@CWBChicago) April 30, 2019
Suspicious package at 247 S State. Street and pedestrian traffic now blocked off. #ChicagoScanner pic.twitter.com/Jm1OKEzQCG
— Eric Tendian (@EricTendian) April 30, 2019
Police told CBS2 Chicago the renegade ravioli was part of a school project. A DePaul spokeswoman told the television station it was a prototype of a car, made by a student in a design class. The student placed the device on State Street to take a photo, she said.
Police reopened the street and the transit station 30 minutes later. There was no word on the fate of the food.
