History Main / AccidentalKidnapping

* The ''KingOfTheHill'' episode "Lupe's Revenge", where on a field trip to Mexico, Peggy accidentally brings along a local girl, and is arrested for kidnapping when trying to bring her back.

* Almost happens in ''{{Angel}}'': Gwen enlists Gunn's help to rescue a girl named Lisa. It turns out she meant to steal a piece of technology, with the acronym [=LISA=], to use it to control her powers. Gunn only finds out after the little girl he tried to rescue told him that she was in her own home.

-->'''Mike:''' Actually...we're the hostage ''takers''. [[ItMakesSenseInContext It's a long story]].

[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Accidentally kidnapping someone]]. This might be WhatDidIDoLastNight or MistakenIdentity, or CrimeAfterCrime (possibly started by the first two).

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* This makes the news at least a half-dozen times a year when someone steals a car from an unsuspecting person...and doesn't realize they've just stolen a car with a baby in the backseat.

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* Alicia Silverstone's character in ''ExcessBaggage''. She wants to make her father think she's been kidnapped, so she ties herself up and locks herself in the trunk of a car. Then a real car thief steals the car with her inside...

* In DianaWynneJones' short story ''Warlock at the Wheel'', the eponymous Warlock steals a car, not realizing there's a girl and her dog in the backseat.

* This usually ends up in the news when a carjacker decides to steal a car and belatedly realizes he's stolen one with a baby in the backseat.

* Happens in various fashions at multiple points in ''ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'':

* In the ''{{MacGyver}}'' episode "Hearts of Steel", kidnappers accidentally kidnap the housekeeper's daughter rather than the daughter of a business magnate because the two girls have swapped jackets.

* Happens in ''TheOffice'', when Michael holds the pizza boy hostage and demands a better deal, and his coworkers inform him he is committing a felony by holding a minor against his will.

* In ''{{Titus}}'' (sit back, cause [[ItMakesSenseInContext this is complicated]]), Tommy's ex-girlfriend came back to town and he wanted to talk with her, only he was limited by a past restraining order. He ran into her car and then in a note claimed that Titus would repair her car for free (owning his own car shop). When she came in Tommy tried to hide, but she ended up seeing him. Panicking, she barricaded herself in Titus' office and tried to call the police, but Dave yanked out the phone line. Titus does a FacePalm and declares that they now have a hostage.

* In the ''MyNameIsEarl'' episode ''Very Bad Things'' Joy steals a delivery truck without realizing that there was a delivery boy still inside. Earl and Joy then have to figure out how to release him without getting caught. [[spoiler: In the end of season 2, Joy goes to trial and Earl ends up taking the rap for her and going to jail.]]
* Early in ''BurnNotice'', [[BruceWayneHeldHostage Mike gets kidnapped during a bank heist]]. So a few seasons later when he calls to say he's involved in a hostage situation, everyone assumed he got kidnapped again.

* Inverted in ''HayateTheCombatButler''. Hayate starts off trying to kidnap someone and ends up rescuing her instead.

** They also abducted a tiger.
*** From [[AxCrazy MIKE TYSON!!]]

* ''BetterOffTed'':

* Alicia Silverstone's character in ''Excess Baggage''. She wants to make her father think she's been kidnapped, so she ties herself up and locks herself in the trunk of a car. Then a real car thief steals the car with her inside...

* In season 1 of ''ArrestedDevelopment'', Michael gives a Mexican woman a ride thinking that she's his mother's housekeeper, Lupe. She was not. This woman is then disturbed to see red splatter all over the front seat (actually nail polish spilled by Michael's sister), and shovels and a ''human skeleton'' in the back (actually taken from an excavation site by Michael's brother). Michael wants to prove that he's a good person by giving this woman a ride, refusing to let her out "too soon" when she becomes distressed by the shovels and "blood spray". She eventually runs away when he stops in the Wetlands, and the episode ends with Michael being arrested.

* Done in ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'', in "Return to Omashu". The gang lead some freedom fighters out of the city, and accidentally get the Fire Nation Govenor's son as well. He was just following the TeamPet.

* WaltDisney once technically kidnapped then-Vice President Richard Nixon by taking him for a ride on the [[DisneyThemeParks Disneyland]] Monorail before Nixon's Secret Service entourage had a chance to board the vehicle.

* In season 1 of ''ArrestedDevelopment'', Michael gives a Mexican woman a ride thinking that she's his mother's housekeeper, Lupe. She was not. This woman is then disturbed to see red splatter all over the front seat (actually nail polish spilled by Michael's sister), and shovels and a ''human skeleton'' in the back (actually taken from an excavation site by Michael's brother). Michael wants to prove that he's a good person by giving this woman a ride, refusing to let her out "too soon" when she becomes distressed by the shovels and "blood spray". She eventually runs away when he stops in the Wetlands, and the episode ends with Machel being arrested.

*** From MIKE TYSON!!

* Early in ''BurnNotice'', [[TakingBruceWayneHostage Mike gets kidnapped during a bank heist]]. So a few seasons later when he calls to say he's involved in a hostage situation, everyone assumed he got kidnapped again.

*In season 1 of ''ArrestedDevelopment'', Michael gives a Mexican woman a ride thinking that she's his mother's housekeeper, Lupe. She was not. This woman is then disturbed to see red splatter all over the front seat (actually nail polish spilled by Michael's sister), and shovels in the back (actually used for excavation by Michael's brother). Michael wants to prove that he's a good person by giving this woman a ride, refusing to let her out "too soon" when she becomes distressed by the shovels and "blood spray". She eventually calls the police.