Nighttime Prank Escalates Into Law Enforcement Involvement
The unusual event unfolded when a security guard at the radio station spotted a group of unidentified individuals setting up the large sculpture—measuring over two meters high—outside the building. He immediately alerted the police, who dispatched multiple patrol units to investigate. Officers arrived on the scene and temporarily detained a group of men between the ages of 19 and 30.
“The individuals were ordered to lie on the ground before their identities were recorded,” police confirmed in a statement reported by dpa. One detail that raised further suspicion was the van used by the group, whose license plate had been deliberately covered. As a result, a 29-year-old man is now under investigation for document suppression related to the vehicle’s altered registration.
After confirming their identities, police released all those involved.
Well-Intentioned Stunt Misfires
According to a statement from Antenne Bayern, the sculpture was handcrafted and originated from the town of Schwabmünchen. The group claimed the stunt was intended as a surprise donation for an upcoming charity auction hosted by the station. However, the lack of prior notice and the timing of the delivery—conducted in the middle of the night—turned a prank into an unexpected police incident.
“We just wanted to pull off a lighthearted surprise,” one of the men explained during the station’s morning show, Guten Morgen Bayern. “The idea was for Antenne Bayern to wonder who had left the sculpture overnight, and hopefully start looking for us.” They also issued an apology to the security guard, admitting they had unintentionally frightened him.
A Recurring Theme in Bavaria
This isn’t the first time large wooden phallic sculptures have appeared in public spaces in Bavaria. Similar installations have previously been discovered in regions such as the Allgäu and around Lake Constance. The most famous example is the “Grünten Penis,” a wooden figure once positioned atop a mountain in the Allgäu. That sculpture was repeatedly damaged, removed, rebuilt, and eventually sawed apart—its creators remain unknown.
Though no charges have been filed in connection with the Ismaning incident aside from the vehicle-related offense, authorities and the radio station hope that future artistic gestures will involve better communication and less confusion.
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