The Stupid Crimes & Misdemeanors Thread

[TexasStooge]

Man Allegedly Steals Hundreds of Undies

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The dryer can't be blamed for eating these socks and undies. Rusty Wayne Sills, 46, of Des Moines, was charged Thursday with fifth-degree theft for allegedly stealing women's panties, bras and socks from the laundry room at the Sun Prairie Apartments, said Lt. Jeff Miller, police spokesman.

When police searched Sills' home, they found hundreds of pieces of ladies lingerie — and shoes. Miller said he did not know if Sills wore the stolen items.

He said a woman at the apartment complex reported missing items in January. The theft was caught on videotape, which led police to Sills.

[TexasStooge]

Cops: Man Invents Story to Make Wife Leave

OCALA, Fla. (AP) - A man made up a story about killing a hitchhiker and burying the body in the woods in an effort to persuade his wife to leave him, authorities said.

Teddy Claire Akin, 28, of Ocala, was charged Tuesday with making a false report and petit theft. He was being held without bail.

Akin's wife, Felicia, called the Marion County Sheriff's Office Monday to report that her husband had told her that he killed a hitchhiker, authorities said.

Akin told investigators he had picked up the hitchhiker, who wanted a ride to Tampa. He said he hit the man in the neck, causing him to gasp and make a gurgling sound, when the two got into an argument over how far Akin would drive him, authorities said.

Akin said he dumped the body in a forest near a gun range and kept the man's wallet, which contained the license of Utah resident Dennis Legrande Allen, authorities said.

Deputies searching the area Akin described with dogs and an air unit failed to find a body Monday evening, Capt. Thomas Bibb said.

Akin eventually told investigators that he was going through a divorce and had hoped the murder story would make his wife leave him, said Sue Livoti, a sheriff's office spokeswoman.

"It seems he wanted to get a little attention and sympathy from his wife," Bibb said.

Akin told investigators he found the wallet on top of a newspaper stand. Investigators reached Allen in Utah by phone; Allen said he did not know Akin.

The sheriff's office would probably bill Akin for the cost of their seven-hour search, Bibb said.

"This was something that cost us a lot of time and energy," Bibb said.

A message left early Wednesday at the county public defender's office was not immediately returned.
___

Information from: Ocala Star-Banner

[TexasStooge]

Would-Be Robbers Caught on Shopping Show

FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) - Viewers of a late-night cable TV program called police when they realized that instead of "Shopping Mania" they were hearing an attempted robbery. Two men were later arrested.

Gary Spirito, who runs the auction program out of a rented warehouse, said viewers heard the robbers off camera demanding the keys to a car after they invaded the building late Thursday. The viewers caught a glimpse of at least one of them as they left, Spirito said.

"We were on air and talking to the folks out there, and then I heard a noise and there was a man there pointing a gun at us, me and the other operator," Spirito said.

"We had a computer screen up at the time showing the bids, but (the viewers) could hear the audio."

The men fled when police were summoned by viewers, but officers caught up with the two suspects. Eddie Crisp Jr., 23, and Timothy Suggs, 22, were both on parole for prior theft and other convictions, said police spokesman Sgt. Jarrard Copeland.

At the time the show was interrupted, viewers were bidding on a tent, a Dale Earnhardt Jr. blanket, metal candle holders and other items, Spirito said. But neither man seemed interested in getting anything but a vehicle.

"They came to get a car from us. They didn't ask for anything else," he said. "He said, 'Give me your car keys.' And I said 'Well, they're out there in the car.'"

Copeland said police believe the two also tried to rob a car lot about an hour before they walked into the "Shopping Mania" warehouse. At Legacy Motors, two men with a gun threatened an employee and the employee fled, he said.

[TexasStooge]

'Three Stooges' Action Lands Boy in Court

GOLD HILL, Ore. (AP) - A 15-year-old boy who pinched and twisted the nipples of a 13-year-old has been sentenced to three days of community service for harassment.

David Thumler, 15, said the "titty-twister" was just horseplay. The mother of 13-year-old Matthew Cox counters that the incident was humiliating for her son, who saw it as an assault from an older, bigger bully.

"They're not friends," she said. "If he was my son's friend, it would be a different thing," said Bobby Cox.

In addition to the community service, Thumler has been ordered to pay a $67 fine and the misdemeanor has been placed on his permanent record. He can request to have it removed when he turns 18.

Ken Chapman, a Jackson County juvenile probation supervisor, said Oregon law defines physical harassment as "offensive physical touching."

That includes such adolescent antics as "wet-willies," "wedgies," "swirlies," "noogies" and all other forms of "Three Stooges" behavior, Chapman said.

According to David, the two boys were in line at a local deli when Matthew jokingly made an embarrassing remark to the female clerk about David. In retaliation, David counterattacked with the "titty-twister," the 15-year-old said.

"It's a thing of camaraderie," David said. "If he's going to assume our friendship is on that level, then so am I."

A lawyer hired by the 15-year-old's family called the juvenile court's actions "Orwellian."

"They call this 'baby assault,'" said Michael Kellington, a criminal defense attorney in Medford, hired by the family.

Even Bobby Cox said she was surprised to hear that her husbands' call to Gold Hill police resulted in court time for the boy. "Nobody informed me it would be a full-blown trial," she said.

According to Kellington, the incident was blown out of proportion in part because David's mother refused to let him show up for an initial hearing in juvenile court. Christine Alford, David's mother, said she did not let her son attend the hearing because she had seen photos of teenagers in handcuffs on the county's Web site.

Kellington said that Alford's refusal to let David go upped the ante and brought down "unfair, Draconian measures" upon her son. What should have been a discussion between first-time-offender and a representative of the juvenile justice system became a court trial.

"The mom is understandably fearful," said Kellington. "You shouldn't retaliate for the decision of a parent upon the child."

Chapman, the juvenile probation supervisor, said the mother should have known better.

"'Hearing' doesn't mean 'taking into custody,'" he said. "When we take someone into custody, we don't make appointments. If there's a consequence for not coming in informally, well, that's one they chose."
___

Information from: Mail Tribune

[TexasStooge]

Mother ditches son after fast food tantrum

ZEPHYR HILLS, Fla. (Court TV) - According to authorities, Lori Marie Heine abandoned her seven-year-old son by the road and drove off.

Why? The boy threw a tantrum after she refused to buy two McDonald's Happy Meals that he wanted.

Authorities in Florida disagreed with Heine's parenting tactic and charged her with child abuse and neglect.

According to Zephyr Hills Police Captain Randy Delasic, the boy wandered up to a stranger at a local park at about 8:23 p.m. on July 26 and requested help locating his mother. The boy informed the man that his mother had gotten angry because he had asked for a cheeseburger Happy Meal and a Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal. She allegedly ordered him out of the car, told him that she was never coming back to pick him up and then drove away. The Good Samaritan contacted police who arrived at the park and took the boy into protective custody.

Delasic said the boy's 23-year-old sister later called police to report her brother missing and was told that he was at the station. She was also asked to bring in their mother.

At the station, Heine, who reportedly appeared intoxicated, confirmed that she argued with her son about the Happy Meals, but that she parked the car by road in order to drink some beer and had only told her son to "go away for a while." She later realized that he was missing when it started to get dark and had searched for him.

But according to Delasic, officers did not believe that Heine attempted to locate her son. When officers were called to the park they searched the area for the boy's mother, but were not been able to find her.

Heine was arrested and charged with child abuse and neglect and held on $5,000 bail. The Department of Child and Family Services placed the boy with his older sister.

[TexasStooge]

Wanted: Man in lacy black underwear

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (Court TV) - The victim: a woman taking a cigarette break on her balcony on a warm July evening.

The suspect: a heavyset white male with a fondness for lacy underwear.

The crime? Well, that has yet to be decided.

But police in Overland Park, Kan., would like a word with the man they're calling the "cross-dressing exhibitionist."

According to spokesperson Jim Weaver, the victim, whose name has not been released, contacted police on July 25 at about 11:30 p.m. to report that a man had walked up to the sidewalk underneath her balcony and had jumped up and down to get her attention.

The woman looked below and discovered that the man was wearing only a black lace bra and black spandex shorts. She described the man as having "man breasts" that he allegedly fondled inside the bra when he realized she was watching. The man then pulled down his shorts to expose black lacy panties, tucked a finger into the side of the underwear and snapped the band at her. The man then pranced away from the area.

"It's not really indecent exposure since he didn't show any genitalia," Weaver said about the incident. "But if the victim said, 'He caused me fear,' we would charge him with disorderly conduct."

The woman also told Overland Police that the July 25 incident was her second run-in with the exhibitionist. She allegedly encountered him once before, on July 4 when he pulled up his shirt to expose a lacy black bra. She did not report the incident at the time.

Weaver said no other witnesses have come forward in the case, but that there have been similar reports over the past four years of a man dressed as a woman flashing people and running away. He could not say if these two recent incidents are related to the older ones.

"There are no laws against cross-dressing," Weaver said. "Whoever he is, he just seems to want people to see him. But police still want to talk with him."

Anyone with information should contact the Overland Park Police Department's tip line at (816) 474-8477.

[TexasStooge]

Woman charged with body-slamming child at mini golf course

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Court TV) - Darnell Lee Kreuzer says she pushed Julia Coelah out of the way to protect the five-year-old from a rolling golf ball. Witnesses say it was more of a body slam.

Police in Daytona Beach, Fla., charged Kreuzer with child abuse on July 28 for an alleged attack on Coelah at a miniature golf course on June 27.

According to local media reports, Kreuzer, 40, was on the course's 18th hole when Coelah's foot got in the way of a rolling golf ball. The woman grabbed the child by the arms and legs and threw her to the ground. She then allegedly swung at the girl with a golf club.

Kreuzer left the scene with her children before police arrived, but witnesses took down her vehicle's license plate number. Coelah was treated for bruises and scratches to her face.

When police questioned Kreuzer, she told them she had pushed the girl to keep her out of the way of a golf ball, the report said. Kreuzer was charged with child abuse. She could face up to five years in jail if convicted.

[TexasStooge]

Man Who Pulled Over Driver Arrested

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A man who police say stopped another driver to warn him about his careless driving was arrested for impersonating a police officer — and driving a stolen pickup truck.

Jessie Joe Hill, 32, of Des Moines, was driving the stolen pickup on Sunday when he turned on a flashing yellow light on the dashboard and pulled another driver over after the driver ran a stop sign, police said.

A police officer pulled up behind Hill and asked him what he was doing. Hill said he had pulled the other driver over to caution him about his driving.

That didn't sit well with the officer, who arrested Hill.

Hill also was arrested for driving with a suspended license and second-degree theft.

The man Hill pulled over said he thought he might be an undercover officer.

"I saw the light flashing ... so I pulled over," said Edin Beganovic. "He said 'Can you slow down?' I said, 'Sure, no problem.'"
___

Information from: The Des Moines Register

[TexasStooge]

Nebraska Cop on Way to Work Makes Arrest

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) - Dean Elliott didn't waste time starting his shift over the weekend.

The police officer was in uniform and on his way to work on Sunday when he saw a white pickup run a stoplight. The truck's bumper was dragging, but Elliott said he didn't know then it had been involved in a hit-and-run.

Because he was in his own vehicle, Elliott requested a marked patrol car.

Another truck started chasing the white pickup and Elliott followed both. He said the white truck stopped and the three people inside started fighting.

Elliott drew his gun, ordered them on the ground, and had them handcuffed before the patrol cars arrived.

[TexasStooge]

Bank Teller Tackles Man After Holdup Try

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - It was an open-field tackle that even John Madden might appreciate.

A bank teller followed a man outside and tackled him after an attempted holdup Monday, police said.

Officers said John Wesley Bradley, 50, entered a Capital Bank and Trust branch and handed the teller a note saying he was committing a robbery and had a gun. When the teller didn't immediately respond, Bradley left. The 26-year-old teller followed him outside, saw that he didn't appear to be armed and tackled him in the grass as police arrived.

Police said Bradley would be charged with attempted bank robbery.

[TexasStooge]

Man Fires Gun at Car to Silence Alarm

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) - A man annoyed by a noisy car alarm fired at least three bullets into a Toyota Camry, silencing the alarm and bringing out police who hauled him away in handcuffs, authorities said.

David Owen Rye, 48, was arrested and booked for investigation of reckless discharge of a firearm and felony vandalism, Sgt. John Adamczyk said. Rye allegedly told officers he grabbed his handgun and went out to put a stop to the car alarm.

The owner of the Camry, a sailor whose ship the USS Theodore Roosevelt just returned from an eight-month cruise, was visiting a friend when he heard the gunfire at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, KCAL-TV reported.

"I mean, that's not a safe guy. I mean, you get upset over an alarm, over a noise like that, (then) there's some little kids making too much noise and he decides to do something awful," sailor Nicholas Moreno, 25, said.

Police were called to the Yosemite Avenue apartment building and Rye was ordered out of his apartment by an officer with a bullhorn. A Los Angeles Police Department helicopter also responded and Rye was arrested.

Neighbor Ken Davis said he heard gunshots and looked outside to see Rye holding a gun.

"It was little scary," Davis said. "I didn't know what kind of mood he was in. I didn't want to say anything to him."

[TexasStooge]

Bank robbery suspects nabbed with new cars

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Police said on Thursday they had detained two men in connection with Brazil's biggest bank robbery after stopping a truck loaded with cars they believe were purchased by the newly rich thieves.

Federal police have been hunting the thieves since the weekend bank heist in Fortaleza, northeast Brazil. The robbers escaped with 156 million reais (about $68 million) after digging a 260-foot (80-meter) tunnel from a rented house to the vault of the local central bank branch.

The car carrier was stopped on Wednesday night in Minas Gerais state on the road to Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, about 1,550 miles from Fortaleza.

A police spokesman said the vehicle was loaded with several cars that the robbers had bought from a dealer in Fortaleza with cash from the bank raid.

Police also found one million reais in packets hidden in the front seat of one of the cars. "All the other cars that were on the transporter will checked," he said.

Police detained the driver of the truck and its owner, who was traveling with him. It was not clear whether they had any involvement in the robbery or just transported the cars.

Police say 10-20 robbers had spent three months digging the tunnel to the bank from a house they had rented under the guise that they were running a landscaping company.

Authorities suspect the heist was carried out by either the First Capital Command or Red Command, Brazil's biggest organized crime gangs.

[TexasStooge]

Louisiana Police: Barking Man Bites Mail Carrier

HOUMA, La. (AP) - A mail carrier got bitten — by a barking man, police said.

Mark D. Plumb, 20, of Butler, Mo., was arrested and charged with simple battery Wednesday after he ran barking from a house and bit the letter carrier on the shoulder, police spokesman Lt. Todd Duplantis said.

Plumb said he bit the carrier as a joke, and has no history of criminal activity or mental illness, police said.

Plumb was released from the Terrebonne Parish jail after posting $165 bond.

[TexasStooge]

Wallet left near scene leads police to bank robbery suspect

COLUMBUS, Miss. (Court TV/AP) — It wasn't hard for police to track down the man they say robbed a Trustmark Bank this week -- the suspect apparently left his wallet and identification at the scene of the crime.

Terrell Green, 26, of Jackson, was charged with Wednesday's robbery.

Police Lt. Tom Thompson said a man walked into the bank wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and sunglasses, and handed the teller a note from his wallet demanding money.

When the teller asked what she should do with the money, the man handed her a white pillowcase into which she placed seven $100 bills, 17 $50 bills and numerous smaller bills and a dye pack, Thompson said.

The man took the pillowcase and left, authorities said.

Police set up checkpoints to search for the suspect but had to look no further than the bank counter, where the suspect's wallet was found with his identification inside.

Following information from the wallet, Thompson said investigators went to the suspect's mother's home and arrested Green as he was walking out the front door.

Thompson said Green was being held without bond pending an initial court appearance.

[TexasStooge]

Police: Man set his girlfriend on fire after she broke off engagement

By Mallory Simon - Court TV

MACON, Ga. - Police in Macon, Ga., arrested a man Monday who allegedly doused his girlfriend with gasoline and set her on fire after she broke off their engagement.

Jomekia Pope, a 29-year-old who has a history of domestic abuse, faces charges of aggravated assault and arson stemming from a horrific assault Sunday at his ex-girlfriend's home.

Latosha Taylor, 26, was in critical condition undergoing her third surgery Wednesday, her stepfather Harold Banks said. Taylor suffered second- and third-degree burns on more than 95 percent of her body.

Taylor, who has two children, Jada, 4, and Elicia, 8, worked two jobs, one as a nurse's assistant in Macon, and also took classes during the week to provide for her family.

Macon City Police Sgt. Cornelius Pendleton said the couple got into an argument Sunday regarding their relationship. Pope then poured gasoline on Taylor and the bed before lighting the fire, Pendleton said.

"She is a devoted and fantastic mother. Every day she's breathing is a good day," Banks said. "We are people of faith and we are going to get through this."

Banks said the argument began after a birthday party for Elicia. Pope was angry because Taylor had broken off their engagement, Banks said.

But this was not the first incident between the couple, police said. Banks said his stepdaughter called off the engagement because of earlier abuse.

Arson investigator for the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department Lt. Tom Musslewhite said because of the extent of Taylor's burns, it was difficult to tell what position she was in during the attack.

"She was probably lying on the bed after a long day of taking care of her kids, and that's when she was sloshed with gasoline," Musslewhite said.

Police said Taylor fled from the fire and ran an eighth of a mile to a neighbor's house for help. Although she was no longer on fire, witnesses said they saw billows of smoke trailing behind her.

Pope reportedly chased her down the street, shouting, "Her husband did it." He then fled the scene before police arrived.

As soon as he left, Taylor told a 911 dispatcher that Pope had set her ablaze, according to police.

"She told officers that he tried to kill her," Pendleton said.

A friend later reported Pope's location to police, and arranged for Pope to turn himself in Monday.

Pope has not confessed to the crime, but police say it is obvious he is responsible.

"He won't outright say anything," Pendleton said. "He's being extremely evasive during the interviews. However, it's quite clear he is at fault."

Musslewhite said he is still investigating the fire for more evidence. After police were notified, he said officers found an opened gas can outside the house, which they believe was the source of the fire. The door to the storage area where the can was normally stored was wide open, he said.

Late Monday, doctors told Pendleton Latosha had a 5 percent change of survival. By Tuesday, after more surgeries, her chance of survival rose to 10 percent.

Banks said he hopes this tragedy will raise awareness about domestic violence.

"This isn't just about my daughter," he said. "It's about everyone who has a daughter, and trying to make them more aware about this kind of abuse."

[TexasStooge]

Police seek diaper-clad man who pesters women

LONDON, England (Reuters) - UK police said Monday they were searching for a man wearing just a diaper, who approaches women late at night and asks: "Are there any baby changing facilities around here?"

Cleveland police in northeast England said the latest incident occurred around 11 p.m. Sunday when he surprised a women walking her dog in a play area in Eaglescliffe, near Middlesbrough.

Police said no one had been assaulted by the man but described his behavior as bizarre and a cause for concern.

"There have been several reports of him having been seen in Eaglescliffe dressed only in a nappy and we are keen to trace him and speak to him," police said.

[TexasStooge]

Alleged Burglar Caught After Calling Mom

VILLA RICA, Ga. (AP) - A home invasion was solved by a phone's redial button when an accused burglar in this west Georgia town allegedly used the phone to call his mother for a ride after breaking in.

According to sheriff's investigator Alan Lee, a resident of Villa Rice returned home Sunday from a few days out of town and was missing credit cards, a check book, cell phone and jewelry. The victim tried hitting redial on her phone, and the mother of 23-year-old Kevin Tucker answered.

The call led to the arrests of Tucker and 18-year-old Brittany Leigh-Anne Smith, said Lt. Shane Taylor. Taylor said a deputy spoke with Tucker's mother, who said the two had called and asked her to pick them up from the residence.

The mother did not pick up the couple, and they spent the night in a motel. Police arrested them at about 12:30 a.m. after they checked out, with the stolen property in their possession. Both were charged, though they claimed innocence.

"Both pointed their finger at each other," Taylor said.
___

Information from: Times-Georgian

[rainstorm]

Mother ditches son after fast food tantrum

ZEPHYR HILLS, Fla. (Court TV) - According to authorities, Lori Marie Heine abandoned her seven-year-old son by the road and drove off.

Why? The boy threw a tantrum after she refused to buy two McDonald's Happy Meals that he wanted.

Authorities in Florida disagreed with Heine's parenting tactic and charged her with child abuse and neglect.

According to Zephyr Hills Police Captain Randy Delasic, the boy wandered up to a stranger at a local park at about 8:23 p.m. on July 26 and requested help locating his mother. The boy informed the man that his mother had gotten angry because he had asked for a cheeseburger Happy Meal and a Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal. She allegedly ordered him out of the car, told him that she was never coming back to pick him up and then drove away. The Good Samaritan contacted police who arrived at the park and took the boy into protective custody.

Delasic said the boy's 23-year-old sister later called police to report her brother missing and was told that he was at the station. She was also asked to bring in their mother.

At the station, Heine, who reportedly appeared intoxicated, confirmed that she argued with her son about the Happy Meals, but that she parked the car by road in order to drink some beer and had only told her son to "go away for a while." She later realized that he was missing when it started to get dark and had searched for him.

But according to Delasic, officers did not believe that Heine attempted to locate her son. When officers were called to the park they searched the area for the boy's mother, but were not been able to find her.

Heine was arrested and charged with child abuse and neglect and held on $5,000 bail. The Department of Child and Family Services placed the boy with his older sister.

sounds harsh

[TexasStooge]

Dog's 911 calls get woman in trouble with police

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (Court TV) - Who needs the bomb squad, the police or the fire department? Probably not Sylvia D'Antonio, because she has Slayer the wonder dog.

The New Jersey woman claims she has trained the five-year-old German shepherd to sniff out bombs, drugs and fireworks, and to extinguish small fires.

But D'Antonio's newest lesson — teaching Slayer to dial 911 — landed her in trouble on August 4.

Parsippany Police spokesperson Sgt. Yvonne Christiano said a concerned dispatcher sent out squad cars to D'Antonio's home after three consecutive non-verbal 911 calls were traced back to the woman's address.

"There was no verbal response when the dispatcher picked up the calls, just heavy breathing," Christiano said.

But when police arrived at D'Antonio's home, they found the 46-year-old in good health. She told them that she had been training her dog to make calls to 911. D'Antonio also acknowledged that she should not have used the emergency line to train a non-service dog, Christiano said.

According to the newspaper The Asbury Park Press, D'Antonio alleges that she informed police in advance that she would be training Slayer and had told them not to respond to any calls from her address. She also told the paper that she had trained the dog to detect bombs, drugs and fireworks, and the dog recently extinguished flames from a firework that had ignited on her lawn.

Police issued D'Antonio a summons for disorderly conduct.

[TexasStooge]

Naked masked man enters sandwich store

SPENCER, Iowa (Court TV) - If Mathias Kout had intended to rob a Subway sandwich store in Spencer, Iowa, it's unclear how he would have done so in the first place.

Except for a ski mask worn over his face, the 55-year-old man was stark naked. There was no weapon in sight and nothing in which to stash cash or a sandwich.

According to Police Lieutenant Don Bartlett, Kout entered the sandwich store on August 3 at about 11 p.m. A female clerk was the store's only occupant, and Kout allegedly planted himself in front of her counter and made a comment to her, details of which police are not releasing.

"We don't believe he had any intent to rob the store," Bartlett said.

Kout fled when the employee's boyfriend came into the store. The couple contacted police, who arrived just as Kout was fleeing the area in his vehicle. A chase ensued and Kout was captured after he lost control of his car and crashed.

The naked man was taken to a local hospital and treated for injuries he sustained during the accident. Bartlett said Kout made arrangements to surrender after his release from the hospital. Kout was discharged the following day and voluntarily turned himself in to authorities.

Police charged Kout with indecent exposure and several traffic violations including reckless driving, eluding a police officer and disobeying a traffic sign. According to court records, Kout has entered a "not guilty" plea to all charges.