ABINGTON, Mass. -- Police are searching for a prankster who prompted the illegal strip searches of employees at four Wendy's fast food restaurants south of Boston over the weekend.

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Gail Huff Reports On Investigation

NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that police believe it was all part of a prank targeting the restaurant's managers, and they're looking for one suspect who called all the restaurants.

"The phone call was received and the person on the other end identified himself as a detective from Whitman and said that one of the employees was wanted and a suspect and asked him to strip search," said Deputy Chief Raymond Nelson.

The same scenario took place in Abington, Whitman, West Bridgewater and Wareham, Mass. Illegal strip searches were carried out by four managers who are now on paid suspension pending an investigation. Numerous employees took off their clothes and were body- searched by supervisors.

"If my son or my daughter were working here part-time, I would just be totally flabbergasted if they came home and told me this had happened to them," said one customer.

In all of the cases, police said the suspect sounded professional on the phone, he knew how the restaurants worked and he knew the managers' names. But police said a strip search requires probable cause, and often, a judge's written order and they said they would never ask a civilian to carry one out.

"First of all, we bring 'em to the police station, and we never, ever search a female with a male. It's always a female on a female or a male on a male," Nelson said.

Both men and women were victimized. Police are trying to trace the calls and will be meeting to compare notes. The Wendy's chain issued a statement saying they apologize to their employees and they are embarrassed and saddened by the incident.