Man's Lost Gnome Attends Steelers Game

[Martrae]

Sep 20, 11:01 PM (ET)

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Allen Snyder's garden gnome is apparently out of jail and now traveling the country. The 14-inch tall red-and-white statue disappeared from Snyder's Morgantown yard in the spring, and Snyder has since received three letters claiming to have been written by "Gnomey."

The latest letter, which Snyder received this week, included photos of the gnome in the company of Steelers fans attending Pittsburgh's football home opener.

"You never took me to any games," the note said. The letter ended: "Have to go now. Boarding a plane. Now, finally, broadening my travels."

An earlier letter included a request for bail money and included what appeared to be booking photos of Gnomey and another of the gnome in the back seat of a police car.

Snyder has no idea who's pulling this prank but said his short list of suspects includes several gag-loving friends.

The plight of his gnome has gotten a lot of attention. Snyder says people are always asking if he's heard from Gnomey.

"I never thought it would go this far," he said.

The story has even caught the attention of officials at Travelocity, which uses a roaming gnome in the online travel agency's advertising.

"While we know that your dear friend, Gnomey, can never be replaced, we're sending the enclosed Roaming Gnome to keep you company in his absence," wrote Michelle Peluso, president and chief executive officer of Travelocity, based in Southlake, Texas. "Hopefully your friend will find his way out of trouble and back to your front yard soon, although we can't help but admire his sense of adventure and love of travel."


Gotta watch those gnomes!

[Zanchief]

Garden Gnome Liberation Front!

[Insanityfair]

I had a friend who used to steal people's garden gnomes...

[Arlos]

This isn't the first such gnome story I've heard. The one I heard, someone took a gnome from a random person down the street's house when they left for a 3-month trip to Europe. They then proceeded to write letters as the gnome, telling the family not to worry, that he'd just needed to get away for a while. That was followed by frequent other letters, showing pictures of the gnome in famous places: Gnome at Big Ben, Gnome at Eiffel Tower, Gnome at the Coliseum, etc.

Whoever took him made sure to get him plastered with custom stamps on his back as well for every country they went through. Finally, the gnome returns and just shows up in that family's yard again one day, along with a toy battered suitcase and covered in customs stickers.

-Arlos

[Zanchief]

Its a real thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_Gno ... tion_Front

It's been going on for a while. They talk about it in Amelie a bit.

[Ginzburgh]

Yeah did this whole stealing and traveling with a gnome for a gag thing stem from Amelie?

[Ginzburgh]

Fan-fucking-tastic movie btw.

[Zanchief]

Great movie, and no it didn't stem from Amelie, it's been around for a while.

[Tossica]

Fan-fucking-tastic movie btw.

One of my faves. Audrey Tautou is the only celebrity crush I have had since I was a teen. I <3 her...

[Zanchief]

You should watch A Very Long Engagement.

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0344510/

I thought it was really good. Not anywhere near as good as Amelie, but it's a little more mainstream with a more accessible plot. Jodie Foster even has a little part in it.

[Tossica]

I saw it and thought it was fantastic. Jean-Pierre Jeunet is one of my favorite director/writers. City of Lost Children, Delicatessen and Amelie are in my top 20 favorite movies ever.

[Zanchief]

Yea no kidding. Alien Ressurection is awesome...

[Ginzburgh]

Yeah what a weird transition. Amelie to Alien Ressurection. Or vice versa, I have no time to look on IMDB.

[Zanchief]

Ressurection was before.

It's not a terrible movie though. It's really odd, but I kinda liked it. Joss Whedon wrote the script too.

[Tossica]

Yea no kidding. Alien Ressurection is awesome...

Hehe, I think I was actually tempted to leave the theater. I don't remember much of the film but what I do recall was not good.

[Ginzburgh]

My favorite part of Amelie was when she was walking that blind guy across the street and explaining everything that was happening around them and then she was like "gotta go now bye" and left him on the sidewalk and he like looked up and that light was shining down on him. That seriously brings a tear to my eye for some reason.

[araby]

I loved that movie soo much...but A Very Long Engagement wasn't as exciting for me, I fell asleep in the theater watching it =\