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TGIS: Thank God It's Schadenfreude! (290)

This week's joy in the misfortune of others comes courtesy of the Telegraph (from Tuesday, October 5; link good at time of posting):

A genteel book launch party ended in chaos on Monday night following a theft, a ransom demand and the scrambling of a police helicopter.

A man gatecrashed the event held for Jonathan Franzen, stole the glasses that the best-selling author was wearing and left behind a demand for £100,000.

During his attempted escape the thief jumped into the Serpentine lake before being dragged out by police and arrested.

The novelist was standing outside the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park talking to guests at the party for his new novel Freedom when an assailant plucked the spectacles from his face and ran away leaving behind a demand for £100,000.

Following reports that he had jumped into the water nearby a police helicopter was called out to search for him.

Last night Franzen was being interviewed by police following the theft. He was described by onlookers as "extremely disgruntled".

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Full post as published by Infamy or Praise on October 08, 2010 (boomark / email).