Man trying to ship himself to Cape Verde caught

FALL RIVER, Mass. -- A man trying to ship himself to Cape Verde in a crate would have died had police not found him, authorities said.

Jonathan Schempp, 22, was homeless and was trying to reach relatives in Cape Verde, police said.

Schempp had a someone seal him in the crate and drop him off at Atlantic Shipping Co. in Fall River on May 11. But someone called Somerville police four days later to tell them of Schempp's plan. Somerville police called Fall River police, who sent officers and a dog to the shipping company, Fall River police spokeswoman Lisa Ahaesy said.

The dog alerted officers to one crate. Police knocked on the container and heard a faint cry for help, Ahaesy said. Police opened the container and found Schempp inside with food, water and clothing.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/05/18/man_trying_to_ship_himself_to_cape_verde_caught/