Tuesday, December 29, 2009
© Copyright 2013
Gwinnett Daily Post
LONDON -- An escaped British prisoner is taunting police and attracting a growing Internet fan base from his Facebook profile, mocking authorities for failing to find him and openly musing about moving across the Atlantic.
But police say the convicted burglar's antics on the popular social networking site haven't gone unnoticed and have appealed to his more than 3,800 Facebook friends to help track him down.
Craig ''Lazie'' Lynch, 28, escaped from the minimum-security Hollesley Bay Prison near the village of Woodbridge in southern England three months ago. Since then, he's been regularly updating his Facebook page with ungrammatical digs at police, as well as pictures showing him holding a ''wanted'' sign or making obscene gestures at the camera.
''i aint handin myself in,'' Lynch wrote in one post Tuesday. ''why am i going to do their job for them. What do they get payed for. And does anyone have a cannon, i need firing over the atlantic.''
Lynch's Facebook page is clogged with hundreds of messages from well-wishers, although a few occasionally write in to remind fans that they're cheering for a criminal. Police said that Lynch had been serving a seven-year sentence for committing a burglary with a weapon, but did not go into detail.
For his part, Lynch's updates typically center on what he's eating -- pizza was recently on the menu -- as well as complaints about the number of messages he gets from all over the world. His profile pictures show him shirtless while holding a well-roasted turkey.
''if any of you was doubtin my freedom. Here's proof,'' he explains. ''How the (expletive) could i get my hands on a bird like this in jail. ha ha.''
Lynch's Internet stardom has spawned several fan groups (and some hate groups) as well as customized T-shirts and even a song in Lynch's honor.
More like this story
- MUST READ: Elusive monkey romps in Tampa Bay area for nearly a year ( March 24, 2010 )
- Lynch goes to Orange ( July 12, 2010 )
- Funny or Die produces 'Field of Dreams' sequel ( July 6, 2011 )
- Facebook to simplify privacy controls after user outcry ( May 26, 2010 )
- PEOPLE IN BRIEF: Erik Estrada urges funding for Va. cops ( March 3, 2010 )

Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID