Two runaway piglets caught by police in Beaufort
· BehindLines newsroom
Two escaped piglets were chased on foot, then caught by police officers in Beaufort (South Carolina). The UPI agency told the story on 6 November, and the local station WTOC had presented it the day before. According to WTOC, no harm was done during the chase, and according to both sources the animals were returned to their owner.
What happened
According to UPI, two officers of the local police ran after the pair, nicknamed the "Bacon Bits" (literally the "little bits of bacon"). A video of the scene was shared on social media. UPI states that Explore Beaufort distributed it and that a witness, Kate Morrison, filmed it; WTOC writes for its part that the police department shared the footage and that it shows officers picking up the piglets' trail. The two sources agree on the essentials: the police captured both animals and gave them back to their owner.
A story full of puns
The tone adopted is what made the story. According to UPI, the police said they held the piglets for "fleeing and squealing", an evidently humorous phrase. WTOC keeps to the same register: the animals are charged there with running away, squealing and being habitual "cri-ham-inals", a blend of criminals and ham. UPI uses this term too and attributes it to the police.
What is not known
Both articles are short. They say nothing about where the piglets came from, how they got out, how long the chase lasted, or whether the owner faces anything at all. Neither UPI nor WTOC mentions any real prosecution: the legal wording targets only the piglets and is a joke.
Why it is being talked about
The episode's appeal lies in its staging: a video of a foot chase, a nickname, playful "charges" aimed at two piglets and an outcome with no damage. According to UPI as well as WTOC, the animals went back to their owner; WTOC adds that no harm was done.