No, Missouri, the Joker Isn't on the Loose

Highway patrol accidentally sends out a fake alert
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 20, 2022 11:19 AM CST
Don't Worry, Missouri, the 'Joker' Is Not on the Lam
This photo shows the Issue 69 cover of "Batman Detective Comics," featuring the Joker.   (AP Photo/DC Comics, Jerry Robinson)

This week, people in Missouri got an emergency alert on their phones about a suspicious vehicle with the license plate "UKIDME." The message that buzzed on their phones read: “GOTHAM CITY MO PURPLE/GREEN 1978 DODGE 3700 GT MO UKIDME," per Fox News. There is no Gotham City in Missouri, but there is one in the fictional Batman universe, of course. And that helps explain what happened: The state Highway Patrol accidentally sent out a bogus alert about the infamous Joker while testing its system. The car described matches the one his crew drove in the 1989 Batman movie. The agency quickly sent out a follow-up alert telling people to disregard the first, reports the AP. (More strange stuff stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X