Man arrested for 'kidnapping' his own son, after neighbours didn't recognise him with his new beard
39 year old father came to regret his new facial hair after it sparked a police raid on his home
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A father has been arrested after his neighbours didn’t recognise him with a new beard and accused him of kidnapping his own son.
Swedish dad Torkel Kristoffers recently grew a beard to replace his normally clean shaven look. The 39 year old father was playing outside with his two year old son, Axel, when the boy asked to be carried in a grocery bag.
Torkel agreed and swung Axel in his canvass bag, to the toddler's delight.
However, a concerned neighbour spotted Axel being placed in the grocery bag by Torkel and failed to recognise the father with his new beard.
They phoned the police who raided his home and arrested him on suspicion of kidnapping his own child.
Police soon realised their mistake and released him. A policewoman confirmed the error, reportedly reassuring the public: “It is currently not a crime to carry a child around in a bag.”
Torkel posted about the dramatic case of mistaken identity on his Facebook page, joking that he now intends to shave his beard to prevent further arrests.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments