A Long Island couple who faked their own kidnapping was arrested yesterday for the poorly planned charade, mere hours after it began. Mastic Beach couple Stephanie Benatatos, 21, and Zifiris "John" Valsamis, 24, faked the whole episode in an attempt to obtain money from her parents.

The couple called Benatatos' mother Sunday afternoon claiming they had been abducted by two armed men in a black SUV. Later, police said Valsamis told his girlfriend's mother that the kidnappers had released him, but they would hurt her daughter if he did not pay them money he owed them for drugs.

Police investigating saw through the hoax immediately; the couple was arrested by Sunday evening, less than seven hours after their caper began. They were each charged with second-degree attempted grand larceny and fifth-degree conspiracy. In addition, Benatatos was charged with second-degree burglary for stealing from her parents' home on June 13. Police didn't reveal what tipped them off to the lovebirds' scheme, but we imagine it might have been the moment when the boyfriend said, "Mr. Lebowski asked me to repeat that: her life is in your hands, Dude."