A really weird story from Kevin Spacey

It is just me or is there something really weird about this story?

(From the BBC and the London Daily Mirror)

LONDON (April 19) - Actor Kevin Spacey apologized Monday for confusion arising from his report to police that he'd been mugged. The Oscar-winning actor made, then retracted, the complaint after a weekend encounter in a London park that left him dazed and bleeding.

The Daily Mirror newspaper reported that Spacey had been "brutally mugged" in a south London park at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.

Spacey told British Broadcasting Corp. radio that the truth was less dramatic. He said he was walking his dog when a young man approached him with "some sob story about somebody needing to call their mother and could they use my phone.

"It was such a good con, that I actually dialed the number myself and when somebody answered I then finally handed (over) my phone," said Spacey, who won Academy Awards for his roles in "The Usual Suspects" and "American Beauty."

"And this kid took off and I was so upset I ran after him."

Spacey said he had reported the incident to police, but went back a few hours later to clarify his story.

Spacey, 44, said he "woke up after a couple of hours' sleep and I thought, you know, there is a difference between assault and theft and it just wasn't on for me to not come clean about my own level of embarrassment and being humble at the fact that I got taken by the oldest con going."

The incident took place near the Old Vic Theater, of which Spacey is artistic director.

Asked why he was walking his dog at 4:30 in the morning, Spacey said: "My doggy had to go!"

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a man in his 40s, suffering a minor head injury, had gone to a police station early Saturday to report the theft of his mobile phone.