Pawnshop apologizes for Welker prank

An online pawnshop apologized Wednesday for mocking the New England Patriots' Wes Welker by dropping 900 pounds (410kg) of Butterfinger candy bars in Boston's Copley Square in reference to his dropped catch in Super Bowl XLVI.

The wide receiver put down a key pass late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 21-17 loss to the New York Giants, and the website, Pawngo.com, left a large placard near the giant pile of 800 bars that read, "Thank you Wes Welker."

Pawngo said it thought the stunt was just a "lighthearted gesture" but admitted it was "misguided and misdirected" after being scorned by Patriots Nation.

"We thought that Boston fans would get a laugh out of it. But, for many great Boston sports fans, it was taken offensively," Pawngo CEO Todd Hills said in a statement, according to the Boston Herald.

"Please accept my most sincere apologies. We got caught up in the moment, reacting to a suggestion that we thought would be funny, but we were wrong, and on behalf of everyone involved with Pawngo, I apologize."

Pawngo was also reportedly cited for violating commercial dumping ordinances by Boston's code enforcement office.