A goody-two-shoes granny in England was thrown in the slammer last weekend without committing a crime. It was, however, her “dying wish.”
Josie Birds, a 93-year-old from Manchester, England, has spent her entire life on the “right” side of the law, and wanted to know “what it was like to be naughty,” the BBC reported.
In a June 22 tweet, Birds’ granddaughter Pam Smith thanked the Greater Manchester police for the kind gesture:
A big thank you to @gmpolice for "arresting" my Gran Josie today. She is 93 years old and her health is failing, and she wanted to be arrested for something before it's too late. She has a heart of gold and thoroughly enjoyed it today. Thank you for granting her wishes. pic.twitter.com/hi1qkJESwv
— Pam Smith (@sterlingsop) June 22, 2019
Smith told the BBC that her grandmother, who has six daughters, 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren, accused her of robbing a grocery store. But it was all a part of the act.
Birds was handcuffed by off-duty officers and taken to the police station, where she was questioned “rigorously.”
“She wanted to go into the cells too, but they drew the line at that and gave her tea and cake instead,” Smith told the BBC.
Although it was all fun and games across the pond, some Twitter users were less than amused by what they viewed as clueless white privilege. Emmy nominated TV producer Juan S. Robles replied to Smith’s tweet with a cartoon image that said: “Collective black confusion.”
— Black Women Tried to Warn Y’all🤷🏾♀️ (@talkB1ack2me) June 26, 2019
In a statement, the Greater Manchester police assured its citizens that officers were still doing their jobs: “We can reassure the rest of the community that while this was happening, officers from across the area were continuing with their duties to ensure this short visit had no impact whatsoever on the wider area.”
If this story sounds familiar, it’s because Birds isn’t the only Brit centenarian who wanted to experience the thrill of being arrested. Last March, Anne Brokenbrow, 104, of Bristol, England was arrested at her request, perhaps starting a new trend of straight-laced seniors wanting a salacious turn
