Naked came the strangers

1/18/2004

In the state of Washington a chilling crime caught some young pranksters with their pants down and shirts off. Actually it caught them in the buff - bare-handed as it were.

Apparently there was something about 20-degree weather and a breakfast crowd at a Denny's restaurant that three exhibitionists couldn't pass up. Wearing only their hats and shoes the young men slipped into the restaurant around daybreak.

But as they proceeded to streak past the stunned diners, they noticed a thief driving off in their getaway car, their clothes inside. Apparently a customer of the restaurant walked out to find their car, which they left running for a quick escape, and seized the moment. Off he went, and there they stood.

The naked trio wound up huddled behind cars parked outside Denny's, very chilled and very chagrined until police arrived.

A police spokesman said it didn't appear the shivering streakers were hiding. "I think they were just concealing themselves," he said.

No charges were brought. Perhaps nobody was offended by the display of their private parts. Lack of evidence maybe?

"We always tell people not to leave their car running," the spokesman added. Well, yeah, that certainly is excellent advice. Especially so in the dead of winter without a thing to wear.