5.24
Michael Maxwell of Palm Bay, Florida, was one of three men who stormed a home in a robbery attempt, but that the victims in the residence managed to fight off the attack early Wednesday morning. Police say the 19-year-old Maxwell was beaten, kicked and shot with a stun gun by victims defending their residence. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries after his arrest.
CLICK HERE for the mug shot
5.23
A well-dressed man attempted to rob a New York City Bank of America last Wednesday by handing a teller a note claiming he would kill customers if she didn’t give him money. The teller began screaming, “Oh my God!” At that point, the robber was caught on camera holding up a finger to his mouth and trying to shush the woman. It did not quiet her, of course, as she ran screaming and hid for cover under a desk on the other end of the bank. The would-be robber stood there in shock for a moment before he fled the scene.
5.22
Henry Gribbohm, 30, attended a carnival in Manchester, New Hampshire on Saturday where he played a ball-tossing game called "Tubs of Fun," throwing balls into a tilted bucket. He wanted to win an Xbox Kinect for his kids. After spending $300 on the game without success, he went home to get another $2,300 - all of the money he had. He still didn't win the Xbox (which you can get at Walmart for as low as $279). The next day, he returned to the carnival to complain, and the game operator gave him $600 and a large stuffed banana with a hat and dreadlocks, saying that's all they could do for him. Gribbohm contacted police, and the department is now investigating to see if any fraud occurred.
5.21
Authorities are seeking to determine whether criminal charges should be brought against a Newtown, Connecticut, man they say stored as much as 300 gallons of human urine in his home. The man, whose name has not been released because he has not been charged, has spoken with state and local environmental officials, according to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman Dennis Schain. When DEEP investigators, at the behest of local health officials, searched the house on Berkshire Road they found "200 to 300 one-gallon plastic jugs" filled with urine. The average person produces about six cups of urine a day.
5.20
Don Castner, 39, was arrested in Manatee County, Florida, for food stamp fraud.
Authorities say Castener and other suspects were selling Electronic Benefits Transfer cards and using the profits to buy drugs and alcohol. Castner was arrested wearing a "Jail Sucks" T-shirt.
5.17
Twenty-three year-old Ashley Fleming of Powder Springs, Ga was arrested for allegedly stealing the good book from a Barnes & Noble. She was charged with misdemeanor shoplifting and released on $1,000 bond. However, she could have avoided the whole thing if she had simply gone to a church instead of a book store. Many churches as well as other groups offer free bibles. Powder Springs Pastor Mark Scardino said, "We believe that God's word should be given freely, and so if someone comes in to our campus and they don't have God's word, then we are very happy to give them a copy of God's word." (Global Dispatch)
5.16
Deputies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, arrested Cabrone Brewer after his Volkswagen Beetle got stuck on train tracks Friday night. Deputies noticed Brewer smelled like alcohol. Here is his mug shot.
CLICK HERE for the pic
5.15
Police in York, England, are on the lookout for a woman dressed as She-Hulk who allegedly assaulted a 17-year-old girl outside of a McDonald's. Police say it appears to have been a wholly unprovoked assault. The victim's injuries were not too severe.
5.14
Matt Jones manages a grocery store in Orlando, Florida -- and he's also a pretty darn good melon slicer. He's the star of a new YouTube viral video where he completely slices up a watermelon in an amazing 21 seconds. He first rids the large melon of its rind and then in a flash dices the remaining fruit into 1-inch cubes. Almost 4 million have watched the clip so far. Jones even revealed his tip for cutting at speed saying, "Look exactly where you want the knife to go. It's like racing cars. When you're racing cars you just look where you want the car to go." He said friends had urged him to try to set a world record but he doubted that Guinness had such a category. Dude are you kidding? Guinness will make anything a record category as long as they get some publicity! (Ananova)
5.13
Britain has sent the world's most selfish mother to prison for five years-- a mother who actually persuaded her adopted teenage daughter to become pregnant by artificial insemination because she wanted a baby for herself! While the names are being withheld to protect the identity of the minor child, documents showed that the daughter, a virgin, was made to inseminate herself alone in her bedroom seven times over a two-year period starting in 2008 when she was 14, using syringes of semen bought online by the mother from sperm bank Cryos in Denmark. The child eventually became pregnant at 16 and gave birth at 17. The extraordinary circumstances of her pregnancy came to light after midwives became suspicious of the mother because she was trying to prevent her daughter from bonding with the new baby. In a ruling made in March 2012 but only revealed now, Judge Peter Jackson described "an abiding sense of disbelief that a parent could behave in such a wicked and selfish way towards a vulnerable child." The judge also raised questions about the international trade in donor sperm, noting that "there were no effective checks on a person's ability to obtain sperm from Cryos". The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said it was "shocked and appalled by this dreadful case" and would be discussing with the Department of Health the issues raised relating to the donation of sperm. (Reuters)
5.10
Virginia Beach Police say a saggy-pants armed man entered a Wells Fargo Bank, approached the tellers and demanded money. The tellers complied and the suspect left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was injured.
5.9
A woman employed as an office manager at a Sarasota, Florida, plastic surgeon's office has been arrested for practicing medicine without a license. A patient complained that 44-year-old Christine Patterson performed a post-operative procedure on her following cosmetic surgery. In April 2011, the patient went to Sarasota Surgical Arts for a follow-up visit the day after surgery. Patterson examined the victim, re-wrapped the bandages and sent the patient home. The following day the patient returned to Dr. Sessa’s office due to swelling that occurred. Patterson contacted Dr. Sessa, who was out of town, and decided to insert a drain to remove excess fluid. The patient said the pain was excruciating. A witness working in the office the day of the incident told investigators she asked Patterson if performing a procedure was a good idea, and Patterson responded that she had seen the procedure done “plenty of times.”
5.8
A couple tries to steal gas
5.7
In Romania, 52-year-old Radu Petrescu had only owned his new car for one week when he came out to find the hood had been cut off -- by firefighters! It seems Radu's car had been factory fitted with a special Siroco heating system, which uses steam to protect the engine from severe winter weather. When the firefighters saw steam coming out from Radu's hood, they thought it was smoke and immediately sliced off the hood to put out the fire. Radu said, "I couldn't believe they'd mistaken steam for smoke. They're supposed to know the difference - they're firefighters! Someone has to pay for this and it won't be me!" He's now suing the fire department for damages. A cameramen had filmed the firemen using an angle grinder, crowbar and eventually a powerful robotic vice to rip off the car's hood! (Ananova)
5.6
There's a new prevailing theme at certain beaches in the United Arab Emirates -- cover up! Yes, tourists hoping to show off those buff bods will sadly have to keep their bikinis and Speedos packed tightly in their suitcases. Beaches in the UAE's northernmost emirate, Ras al-Khaimah, now display signs warning of possible fines for swimwear that is too revealing. The move follows complaints from local families who didn't like sharing the sands with tourists showing too much skin. The UAE hosts a patchwork of different social mores among its seven semi-autonomous emirates, ranging from conservative to relatively liberal. Dubai, for example, urges "respectful" attire, but rarely objects to outfits such as miniskirts or bikinis. (Newser)
5.3
A Boonville, Indiana, man noticed his garage light was on in the middle of the night. He went to turn it off and found a man inside. The intruder came at the man, so he grabbed a shovel to fight him off. After the altercation, the man posted this message on Craigslist:
"THIS message is for the thief & his friends that has been stealing tools and misc items around our neighborhood & town. How does it feel to get whacked with a long handle shovel by an old man, not once, but twice? If you want to try again, come on back. I posted this in the free postings, since this guy thinks everything in our community and my garage is free? If you have a friend that is all black and blue, bruised up with a lousy excuse. He may be a thief!"
The ad has received more than 300 responses, many of them supporting the victim for defending his property.
5.2
Millions of people clicked on a link to a Google Earth satellite photo of what looked like a murder scene: a trail of blood on a jetty and two people looming over a body, witha trail of blood. Local police investigated and reported that it wasn't a murder, it was a dog. Rama the golden retriever had just enjoyed a swim at Beatrixpark, Almere, Holland. Owner Jacquelina Koenen said: "When I saw the picture I realized, 'It's my dog'. He loves the water. It's hilarious that everyone thought it was murder. But it's great he's now world famous."
5.1
Are you one of those many people who struggle through life, never quite able to find the right job in your chosen field of ancient mysticism? Well, today is your lucky day my friend. English Heritage is advertising for a new general manager to look after Stonehenge! Yes -- the Stonehenge! The company is looking for "a dynamic and inspirational leader" to look after the prehistoric site in Wiltshire. You'll be responsible for managing the monument's 180 staff members and volunteers and you'll also need to do some regular liaising with druid leaders. Other responsibilities include overseeing arrangements for summer and winter solstices and making sure those "solstice celebrations aren't in some way compromising the mystery and integrity of the stones". And it pays well-- $100,000 a year, plus benefits! (Ananova)
4.30
iPads are tougher than we thought. One somehow remained intact and fully functioning - despite being lodged in a car's bumper in a freak accident. Alexa Crisa was stunned to learn she'd been driving around near Atlanta, Georgia, with the gadget sticking out the front of her Nissan. "I'm not even sure how I missed it, other than I don't check my bumper for random dislodged electronics," she said. Crisa had been driving at 40mph when the iPad, accidentally left on top of another car, flew off and into her vehicle. She saw a flying object and hit the brakes but, feeling she hadn't run over anything, went on about her business. Her father Nick Crisa spotted the iPad when he returned home-- and had to use a hammer to remove it from the bumper. The screen was smashed but - incredibly - the tablet still worked and they were able to trace the owner so it could be returned. The owner was able to get a new tablet through his Apple warranty plan, and offered to pay for a new bumper. (Ananova)
4.29
In Paw Paw, Michigan, 21-year-old Benjamin Carpenter literally just got the ride of his life. Ben is disabled and uses a wheelchair to get around. While he was crossing the Red Arrow Highway, he somehow got his chair got wedged on the front grill of a semi. Before he knew it Ben was sailing down the highway at 50-mph! The truck driver had no idea he had a new passenger. Other motorists starting calling police. After four miles, the driver pulled over at a truck stop where police caught up and told him about the man on his front end. He didn't believe it until he saw it himself. Amazingly, Ben was unhurt and still attached to the front of the truck. He had been kept in his wheelchair by a seatbelt. Even more amazing, Ben seemed quite amused by the whole thing telling police that "it was quite a ride", and his only complaint was that he had spilled his soda. (Ananova)
4.26
In Rock Island, Tennessee, it was a bad day for 42-year-old Justin Hill. One minute he was pulling out of his driveway -- the next minute he was being flown to a hospital as his home went up in flames. Oh, and then he got a traffic ticket. Justin was leaving the driveway when he turned into the path of an oncoming car. His wife heard the crash and ran outside, leaving the kitchen stove, where she had been cooking, unattended. Within minutes, their trailer was on fire, and firefighters who had responded to the accident found themselves fighting the blaze. Justin was treated at the hospital and released, but then cited in the accident for failure to yield. (myway.com)
4.25
The country of Estonia (in Northern Europe below Finland) is believed to be the first country in the world to levy a fart tax! No kidding. Estonian authorities have slapped a flatulence tax on farmers to compensate the country for the methane gas produced by their cows. The so-called "fart tax" is to compensate for the greenhouse gases the cattle produce which can be as much as 350 liters of methane and 1,500 liters of carbon dioxide per cow, per day! The farmers say the whole thing stinks. (Ananova)
4.24
A Longmont, Colorado, woman was arrested last Wednesday for giving a cab driver a purple nurple. The driver reported that he picked up Pepper Varga, 23, and drove her to her destination, but she didn't have the money to pay. He said she asked him to accompany her to an apartment and he started to walk with her, but she punched him in the abdomen on the way and then hit him with a can of iced tea as he turned to return to his car. She followed him to the car, forced the door open, got on top of him, grabbed and twisted his nipple, and bit his shoulder. She then got out and punched the window and kicked the door before mounting the cab and standing on the roof. Officers arrived to find Varga drinking peppermint schnapps.
4.23
Police at the University of North Carolina say two people, one dressed as a lobster, the other a banana, may be involved in break-ins at the student union. Investigators say the break-ins happened on March 31 and April 1. A wooden sculpture that is worth about $1,000 disappeared around the same time. Police are looking for the banana and lobster, along with two others who were in plain clothes.
4.22
A 6-year-old Lapeer, Michigan, boy took his family's car for a drive Saturday morning. He made it about 3 miles before he was stopped by other motorists. Lapeer County Sheriff's Deputy Karl Sapp said, "I opened the door and asked him what he was doing. He told me he was going to the dealer to get the car fixed." The boy had hit a street sign near his house and cracked the car's bumper. The boy said he initially was heading to the Chinese restaurant where he ate the night before. The boy's parents were home sleeping and didn't know the child was gone with the family's Ford Taurus station wagon. He said he had watched his dad drive. He had the seat pulled all the way forward and was just able to reach the pedals
4.19
Police in Slidell, Louisiana arrested a man in a stolen Pontiac Grand Prix after a chase that reached speeds of 75 mph. Orrion Wilson, 20, said he took the car because he had to attend a second audition for the singing show “The X Factor" in New Orleans. It is not known what song he intended to sing at the audition.
4.18
Jennifer Fitzgerald of Chicago is fighting more than $100,000 in parking tickets on her junk car after her ex-boyfriend abandoned it for three years in a parking lot at O’Hare International Airport. Fitzgerald claims that she couldn’t access the car because it was parked in an employee lot fro which she had no clearance. Her ex-boyfriend worked for United Air Lines. Fitzgerald said, “My father works security at O’Hare. He couldn’t get in that lot. What am I supposed to do? I’m just an ordinary citizen. It was impossible for me to get it.” A Cook County judge hearing her lawsuit against the city and her ex-boyfriend has implored all sides to reach a settlement.
4.17
Jennifer Fitzgerald of Chicago is fighting more than $100,000 in parking tickets on her junk car after her ex-boyfriend abandoned it for three years in a parking lot at O’Hare International Airport. Fitzgerald claims that she couldn’t access the car because it was parked in an employee lot fro which she had no clearance. Her ex-boyfriend worked for United Air Lines. Fitzgerald said, “My father works security at O’Hare. He couldn’t get in that lot. What am I supposed to do? I’m just an ordinary citizen. It was impossible for me to get it.” A Cook County judge hearing her lawsuit against the city and her ex-boyfriend has implored all sides to reach a settlement.
4.16
Melbourne, Florida, police say a man entered the Florida Business Bank, approached a teller with a gun drawn and demanded money. The teller complied, but when the man put his gun down on the counter to put the money in a bag, the teller grabbed it. The suspect ran and was seen on a bicycle heading north.
4.15
On March 30, a man identified as Hugo “N” was arrested in Tijuana, Mexico, for drug dealing. While he was in custody; he escaped from his cell through a toilet hole at the detention center where he was being held. While no one was watching, he first took apart the toilet, and then escaped through a small hole.
4.12
In Urbana, Illinois, Judge Heidi Ladd showed up to work Tuesday morning to discover someone had parked in her reserved space. Court officers asked around and found the culprit: Boblue Dagbe, who went out to move his car. It turns out that Mr. Dagbe in court to appear on an aggravated felony DUI charge. Not only had he parked in the judge's spot, but he should not have been driving in the first place because his license was suspended. After pleading guilty, Dagbe was sentenced to two years of probation and 90 days in jail. He was also fined $2,250 and ordered to attend a victim impact panel. Then, a sheriff's deputy issued him a new ticket for driving without a valid license on Tuesday and took him to jail. And, he got a parking ticket from the city of Urbana for parking in the judge's space.
4.11
A worried resident called the Putnam, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Department last week to report hearing a man screaming for help. Dispatchers could also hear the screams in the background of the call. Deputies were dispatched to the area to look for the screaming person. Soon, they found him: It was a goat that was tied to a fence. The officers spoke to the owner, who stated that he was going to take care of the goat.
4.10
Ruth Amen, a longtime office manager of Gulf to Bay Realty in Boca Grande, Florida, thought it would be a great idea to throw her boss a surprise birthday party. After the party, her boss wondered how much the event cost. An investigation revealed that Amen, responsible for handling the company's billing and payroll, had been embezzling money from the company - over $181,000.
4.9
Tyshekka Collier, a 36-year-old South Carolina mother, showed up at her son's middle school after the boy had been suspended. When she got there, walked into the school office and slapped the child. Only the child wasn't hers - Collier hit another boy who was in the office waiting to be picked up because he was sick. She apologized to the boy, then saw her own son and knocked him to the ground. Collier's three children were place in emergency protective custody and she was charged with disturbing schools and two counts of assault and battery.
4.8
The man in the video below tried emulating the 'escalator helicopter' stunt he'd seen on YouTube. End result: $3700 in damages
4.5
Cheryl McLaughlin returned to her Washington DC home after work about two years ago to find candles flickering in her living room, with slips of paper under each that read: "make her stay" or "make her love me." A year later, in the summer of 2012, McLaughlin's estranged husband, 64-year-old Raymond E. Bradshaw Jr., was seen lighting paper on the grill, chanting and spreading ashes around the back yard. D.C. prosecutors said Bradshaw first turned to voodoo to save his relationship and, when that didn't work, to something more sinister. They said he hired a purported African voodoo priest he met online and paid that person $500 to cast a spell that would kill McLaughlin, ensuring that she didn't divorce him and seek alimony.
4.4
Smuggler Had Cocaine Hidden in Prosthetic Butt
A man dressed as a woman was arrested at an airport in southern Brazil last week for allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine in a fake butt. The man was attempting to fly from Campinas, Brazil to Brussels, Belgium. But while he was waiting for his flight to Europe, authorities approached him and found two bags of cocaine hidden in his underwear, forming a prosthetic derrière.
4.3
Burglar's To-Do List: Steal, Do A Good Deed
Weymouth, Massachusetts, police caught 25-year-old Evan Dorsey breaking into a home and stealing from a UPS package. When they searched him, they found a notebook that contained his “goals for Friday". The list of his goals included finding crystal meth, getting a gold watch, doing a B&E or robbing a dealer, selling drugs, getting coke, and doing a good deed for a stranger. At the time of his arrest, Dorsey had a blackjack, the contents of the UPS package, and two dozen assorted pieces of jewelry. He had no explanation of where the jewelry came from, although police suspect him of breaking into at least two other homes.
4.2
Worst iPhone Thief Ever
4.1
Controversial British fashion designer Jess Eaton is set to unveil her latest bizarre bridal designs -- all made from roadkill! Eaton uses "ethically sourced" materials and says no animals are ever harmed in the name of her fashion. She says, "I never, ever kill animals for our designs and we wouldn't accept anything that has been killed for the purpose of turning it into a fashion item. What I do is take these animals, once their natural lives are over and give them an endless afterlife." In her bridal collection she uses white feathers and whole wings of birds to create extravagant headpieces, which are inspired by films, fairy stories and books from her childhood. (Ananova)
3.29
Police in Tooele, Utah, arrested a husband and wife who took their two children along while they robbed a bank. The man and woman, both 27, were caught Monday soon after a Wells Fargo branch was robbed. A 5-year-old and a 2-year-old were in the back seat. The couple told police they robbed the bank because they faced eviction and growing medical bills.
