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Chloe Stein, a 23-year-old woman from Jeannette, Pennsylvania, was arrested on Tuesday, May 2, for orchestrating her disappearance a day earlier. Chloe Stein was reported missing on May 1 when her car, a Volkswagon beetle, was found abandoned in Greensburg after her boyfriend received a message from the 23-year-old saying that she had been pulled over.
Authorities then issued a missing endangered person advisory for Stein as they believed there was a potential involvement of a person impersonating a police officer in the incident. Authorities then launched an intensive search that included sending a chopper into the air on a bad weather day as they believed she was in danger.
However, on Tuesday, May 2, Pennsylvania police announced that Stein was found safe hiding at the home of an acquaintance, adding that they believed her story was an apparent hoax.
Charges against Chloe Stein explored as 23-year-old arrested for disappearance hoax
Chloe Stein was charged with false alarm to the public safety agency, false reports, obstruction of the administration of law and other governmental functions, and disorderly conduct for wasting tens of thousands of dollars in police resources for an apparent hoax.
Authorities said Stein was not missing or in danger, noting that she was never pulled over. Trooper Steve Limani said Stein abandoned her car and walked to the friend’s home in Jeannette, where she stayed until police were tipped off of her whereabouts.
Detailing the incident, authorities said Stein was last seen leaving work at the Sonic in Hempfield Township around 10.30 pm. As per multiple reports, Stein’s mother stated on Tuesday that her daughter dropped off a co-worker at 10 pm and returned to work to drop off her keys before leaving at 10.30 pm.
According to police, Stein was last heard at 11 pm when she texted her boyfriend saying she was being pulled over. As per CBS News, Stein’s boyfriend, who grew concerned after she went radio silent, drove around with two friends until they found her car on Radebaugh Road under Route 66 in Greensburg and called the police.
Purporting a potential motive for the alleged hoax, police said Stein had informed her mother that she was set to graduate from Penn State Greater Allegheny this weekend. But further investigations revealed that she was not in school for over 1 1/2 years.
Shortly after Stein's arrest, Trooper Steve Limani, in a statement, said:
"The only reason we are here before tomorrow is because the people need to know there is not somebody pulling people over this minute that is abducting people.”
As per WPXI, Chloe Stein, who was booked into Westmoreland County Prison on Tuesday night, will likely be arraigned on Wednesday morning.
