BY RECORD STAFF

Rumors about a spate of nighttime muggings of Whidbey Island residents as they were waiting for the ferry in Mukilteo have been greatly exaggerated.

Mukilteo Police Chief Rex Caldwell said his office has received only one report of a mugging and investigators aren’t even sure it was genuine.

A Whidbey Island man reported that he was mugged last Thursday night. He claimed the mugger took his cell phone.

The alleged victim called the police from Whidbey about three hours after the event and subsequently has refused to respond to the police for details.

“Frankly, there is some question about the veracity of the report,” Caldwell said.

The police chief said he’s unaware of any other similar reports.