So yeah, it appears Woody Allen was inspired by the story of that Upper Darby pizzeria owner who dumped mice in a competitor’s pizza shop.

In the latest issue of the New Yorker, Allen pens “Not a Creature Was Stirring,” a story that is centered around mice with criminal minds.

“It’s all schlock,” the impresario railed. “Chazerai for pubescent sub-mentals.” Producing a clipping from his pants pocket, he said, “Lamp this. I culled it from a little magazine called The Week. Is this or is this not our open sesame to Fort Knox?” The kernel of the Grossnose squib centered on Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, where it seemed that a pizzeria owner was charged by police with planting mice in rival pizza shops. “We never had anything like this,” the Police Superintendent said, “where mice have been used as an instrument of crime.”

Not a Creature was Stirring [New Yorker]
Woody Allen Reads “Not a Creature Was Stirring” [New Yorker]