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Police Search For Suspect Who Glued Elkton Man To Wal-Mart Toilet

ELKTON, Md. (WJZ)—Stuck on a toilet seat at Wal-Mart. It may seem humorous until you learn the victim ended up at the hospital.

Suzanne Collins explains police in Elkton are searching for a suspect who put glue on the seat.

Stopping in the restroom while shopping at Wal-Mart is a mundane task. But for a 48-year-old Cecil County man, it became a nightmare.  He unwittingly became glued to the seat in a prank.  An employee called 911.

"We have an older gentleman that's actually in our bathroom," said the employee. "This is no joke. [He's] actually super glued to the toilet, and we can't get him up."

Police say this is no joke. As a matter of fact, it's second-degree assault, and add to that destruction of property. The seat had to go with the man to the hospital.

"We're looking at it in terms of probably someone pulling a prank with April Fools, but the serious aspect of it is business was disrupted at Wal-Mart," said Lt. Matthew Donnelly, Elkton Police. "The fire department, police department, county paramedics [were] called to the scene. Not to mention the fact you have a gentleman taken to the hospital as a result of this."

Police say surveillance cameras—of course, not inside the bathroom, but outside— show 15 random men going in before the victim.  No conclusions there. Now they are checking who bought super glue.

The glue sticks to the skin very fast, and research shows pressure or weight increases the grip.

A surgeon at Sinai Hospital says doctors actually use super glue to mend skin.

"It's actually used in medicine since 1998 since it got FDA approval," said Dr. Thomas Genuit. "Before that, we used it in veterinary medicine to mend bones and hides. It's a very fast-acting adhesive that bonds in seconds up to a minute, and it binds to the proteins of the skin."

Wal-Mart shoppers were incredulous.

"I think it's the funniest thing in the world, however, it could also be the most dangerous thing in the world 'cause you never know what could happen," said a male Wal-Mart shopper.

"It was just a horrible thing," said a female Wal-Mart shopper. "I don't know what I would have done. I just can't imagine someone doing something like that."

The Sinai doctor says any injury would come from tearing the seat from the skin, otherwise the glue can be dissolved with acetone. The victim was released shortly after he arrived at the hospital.

Medics turned the victim facedown, shrouding his face to spare him embarrassment from the crowd that gathered.

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