No Charges For Girls Who Made Power-up Boxes
Posted on April 7, 2006
Some teenage girls face criminal charges for trying to recreate the Super Mario Brothers game in real life. The recreation included "question mark" boxes which were confused for bombs. The local Bomb Detection Unit was even called in to inspect the boxes according to a Akron Beacon Journal article.
The Portage County Hazardous Materials Unit and Bomb Detection Unit were called in to downtown Ravenna on Friday morning after seventeen suspicious packages -- boxes wrapped in gold wrapping paper with question marks spray painted on them -- had alarmed residents.Now we find out that the girls won't be prosecuted for tring to recreate the popular video game. There are now some very relieved girls and their parents in Ohio. This site has some pictures of power-up boxes people have maded.Boxes were found at the Immaculate Conception Church on West Main Street, the Portage County Courthouse, Deluxe Pastries, the corner of Cherry Way and Main Street, Reed Memorial Library, Ravenna High School and a residence at Sanford and Main streets.
Five girls -- age 16 and 17 -- claimed responsibility for making and placing the packages. The girls said they found an Internet site that included step-by-step instructions for creating replicas of blocks featured in the game.
