TPD Warns Of The Seriousness Of Reporting False Amber Alerts

Tulsa Police say they were looking into a possible child abduction after getting a call about a stolen vehicle.

After some digging, officers learned much of the call was a hoax.

Police say the call came in around 1:00 p.m., with a mother claiming her husband’s car was stolen – with her 5-year-old inside.

These claims were false, but, during the investigation, the car was recognized as being involved in a hit and run.

The investigating officer issued a hit and run citation to Patrick Hair.

Sergeant John Adams says “our department takes this extremely serious – very few things would take priority over this.”

Police say the first three hours of an amber alert situation are the most important.

The moment Tulsa Police receive an amber alert call, officers work to figure out if it’s true or false.

“Was a child abducted and is that child in danger,” asked Adams.  “If we can get those two things met, then the quicker we get them out the quicker we call an amber alert.”

Adams says these cases are so serious that officers will drop what they’re doing to respond.

Several years ago, Adams says, a person falsely reported a missing child.  He told police that a young family member was in a vehicle that was stolen.

In the end, police say, there was no child in the car.

The guy allegedly told police, "‘well, I wanted my car back and I knew that, if I had reported it stolen, you wouldn’t take it serious[sic],” said Adams.

Police arrested that person for the false call.

Adams says, “We filed charges, the DA prosecuted, and he went to jail because [he] filed a false amber alert.”

If an amber alert goes out and you think you see the child or anything else related to the alert, you are asked to call police.