Normally, when a crime makes global headlines it is unspeakably heinous. But this week, a beer thief from Blackpool has been all over the internet due to his resemblance to Ross Geller.
Blackpool Police shared a CCTV image of the thief in an appeal for information, but the post quickly became a viral game of 'who can think of the best Ross-based joke'.
However, while the picture was simply a source of amusement for most, one woman from Swindon is '100 percent convinced' it is the first picture she has seen of her son since he went missing 11 years ago.
Advert
Susan Trowbridge, 58, was shocked when she saw the picture of the thief, who she believes bears an uncanny resemblance to her son, Paul.
Susan's adopted son had schizophrenia and went missing without a trace 1 July, 2007. She said even as a teen, Paul resembled the Friends character.
Susan told The Sun Online: "Someone sent the appeal to my daughter saying he looked like Paul and she showed it to me.
Advert
"I'm his mum - call it's mother's instinct or whatever you want but I'm 100 per cent convinced it's him.
"It's his eyes and the way his hair falls, I can just tell. It's the first picture of him I've seen in 11 years and it's amazing."
The last time Susan saw Paul, was when she waved him off at the airport prior to a holiday in Barbados; he went missing two weeks later.
Advert
Susan has contacted Blackpool Police, however, they have told her the thief is not Paul.
Susan said: "I emailed police and told them I was his mum but they came back and said the man in the CCTV isn't Paul.
"I just don't know how they can be so sure - they haven't arrested anyone or named a suspect so they can't know for definite."
Yesterday, Blackpool Police thanked the public for their help with the search and indicated they had identified the man - in a tweet that nodded to the influence of Friends.
The tweet said: "Could we BE any more overwhelmed with the response to our CCTV appeal after a theft at a restaurant in Blackpool? Most importantly, we're now satisfied we've identified the man in the still & our enquiries are very much continuing. Huge thanks for sharing it with your Friends."
Advert
David Schwimmer ruled himself out of the investigation earlier in the week, sharing a video of him replicating the theft in New York.
In the tweet, he said: "Officers, I swear it wasn't me. As you can see, I was in New York. To the hardworking Blackpool Police, good luck with the investigation.#itwasntme"
Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros.Topics: Beer