Bar Harbor - The world of social media can get information out in an instant, and at times it can get the poster in hot water.

That was the case in Bar Harbor where a man who refers to himself as Wayne Bruce wound up behind bars.

It began as a joke, but that joke didn't go over well.

He's made appearances in summer parades, parties and other events, and because of an April Fool's Day Facebook post, the man known as Bar Harbor Batman spent Sunday afternoon in jail.

"What surprised me the most is how quickly everything happened because I posted it only," said Chris Schwartz, who also refers to himself as Wayne Bruce. "I didn't even think of it after I posted it. I'm like, I've got to post something today, it's April Fools. Let's take Austin Powers and Batman and shake it up in my snow globe and see what comes out."

What came out was this post.

"I demand payment of 1 million Dollars or I will Blow up the Hospital. Once the funds are secured, Private Message me for Further Instruction."

The responses were instant according to Schwartz. "People were taking it serious online and I'm like why would it be real, and I wasn't like 'Ha-Ha look at these guys they're fools, they think it's real!' I was laughing because it's absurd, the absurdity of it all, to allow something like that it just baffles me. I'm appalled."

In less than an hour , Bar Harbor police were at his door. He said he offered to take down the post and tried to explain it was just a joke.

"Why would he blow up a hospital? Batman wouldn't blow up a hospital, it's the opposite. It's April Fool's Day. 'Well that isn't funny, you think this is funny, we'll show you something funny.' And I couldn't believe that that's what was happening and when my wife tried to come out and they put her back inside the house, that's when I'm like okay, this is not funny at all," said Bar Harbor Batman. "This is a very serious situation."

He's not sure how police found out about the post. "I have a hard time believing it was just the Bar Harbor PD have nothing better to do than read my Facebook page. I believe it was just a concerned citizen in the area who might have taken what I said out of context, saw it and said, 'I don't believe what I just saw, did you see what he was going to do?' I understand that Facebook is like that for some people."

It has made him change how he posts. "From now on, on every post, I've gone through recently, and I've started adding this is a joke, please don't take this seriously, so now I'm going to start doing that, I have to apparently."

He's out on bail and will return to court in June to face terrorizing charges.

In the 24 hours following his post and subsequent arrest, Bar Harbor Batman's facebook page gained more than 400 followers.

To see the page visit Bar Harbor Batman's Facebook Page

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