A real Scooby-Doo mystery

[Greg Collard, News Director, WFAE]

In Vegas, you're not supposed to beat the House. If you win big, expect a little scrutiny to make sure everything was on the up-and-up.

This logic also applies to winning big at Carowinds carnival games. And by big, I'm talking about a giant stuffed Scooby-Doo.

Ruh-Roh. That's enough to bring in the York County Sheriff's Office.

I'm not kidding. Last weekend, York County sheriff's deputies got to work a real Scooby-Doo mystery: How did a ring toss contestant win the coveted Scooby-Doo?

Well, those meddling deputies think they figured it out. They arrested 19-year-old carnival worker Joshua Long and accused him of helping a ring-toss contestant cheat to win the Scooby-Doo. Long is charged with breach of trust with fraudulent intent.

The irony is that carnival games are the ultimate rip-offs.

The games look easy to win. Kids salivate at the thought of winning something really cool on display. It's usually a prize that requires you to play several times. Before you know it, you're out a good wad of cash by the time you "win" a prize that wouldn't pass the standards of any legitimate retail store.

I'm amazed that Carowinds officials called the sheriff's office. If Long is guilty, just fire him.

But I'm more amazed that deputies took on the case.

And I'll be even more surprised if they complain about being too busy.

[Grady Lee Howard]

It seems to follow the pattern of the greater society. If anyone works hard for 30 years, saves and invests prudently, then retires comfortably without being part of the oligarchy, they'll probably be jailed and tortued as a terrorist for stealing from the elite class. Some mysteries of corporate capitalism are all too obvious. Josh Long will definitely be a career criminal, because he knows too much already.

[Patrick E. Randolph]

I think everyone has missed the point. If the sheriff had just taken the time to pull the mask off of Joshua Long he would have discovered that, It was
Old Man Withers. He was giving away the great prizes so all of the carnival goers would leave, so he could look for the lost treasure of Caromungy!

[Greg Collard, News Director, WFAE]

Your husband's a better man than me. I would have left it until the next grass-cutting.

[RubyTues]

There has to be something personal to this. I can't believe that it went this far over some stupid stuffed toy. They should have fired him and/or made him pay for the thing. Pressing charges is way over the top.

Some dog (not mine) left a little present on my lawn. I suppose I could call the police and have some DNA testing done and have the dog arrested for vandalism. Just imagine the emotional trauma that this has caused me. I had to pretend not to see it until my husband noticed so he would clean it up. It was scandalous.