Terrified Woman Calls Cops And Pretends To Order Pizza; Man Arrested

A man was arrested in the UK after a vulnerable woman called the cops and asked if she could order a pizza.

The woman “surreptitiously” made the emergency call while traveling Tuesday on a bus and said she would like to order a pizza, North Yorkshire Police said in a news release. The “quick-thinking police staff member” asked the woman if she was in trouble, and she replied: “yes.”

Although the woman was only able to answer “yes” and “no” questions, the call handler was able to establish that the woman was at risk of harm at the hands of a man traveling with her, according to BBC. The woman continued keeping the phone line open while the call handler texted her for more information.

Cops successfully tracked the bus down and stopped the vehicle, leading to the arrest of a 40-year-old man from Leeds.

“He was subsequently released with no further action, although the woman has been provided with safeguarding and support,” read the police statement.

Inspector Dan Spence, Force Incident Manager in North Yorkshire Police’s Control Room, praised everyone involved for avoiding what could have been a dangerous outcome.

“This was really good work by everyone involved, allowing us to take immediate action to safeguard a vulnerable woman,” Spence said in the news release. “I’m aware of people using the ‘pizza ordering’ technique abroad to contact the police, but I cannot recall a similar call in North Yorkshire.”

The police department also offered advice to individuals who might find themselves in similar situations where they are unable to explicitly ask for help, according to Sky News.

The North Yorkshire Police news release explained that call operators will ask what service the caller requires. If no service is asked for, the operator will connect the caller to a police call handler if they hear something suspicious on the call.

“It is always best to speak to the operator if you can, even by whispering. You may also be asked to cough or tap the keys on your phone in response to questions,” the news release said. “The police call handler will attempt to communicate with you by asking simple yes or no questions. If you are not able to speak, listen carefully to the questions and instructions from the call handler so we can assess your call and arrange help if needed.”