Germany: A man reading a new book in the woods near Elmstein and laughing his head off had a helicopter rescue team come looking for him after a woman mistook his laughter for torture and called for help.
An astonished Roland Hofmann, sitting in his car, was surrounded by armed police who ordered him to release the hostage and give himself up. Police were told that he made the forest his destination so that he could read "in peace and quiet."
One officer said, "We realise that people think the sound of Germans laughing is unusual, but we're sure the caller meant well."