Robbery for Dummies: Take the Cash
Greensboro, North Carolina
Someone may want to tell three seemingly hapless robbers in North Carolina that the point of a robbery is to take the cash, not leave it behind. The three men walked into a convenience store, pointed a shotgun at the clerk and took the money from the cash register and stowed it in a bag, the Greensboro News & Record reported Monday. But wanting to make a quick getaway, they left the bag containing $400 sitting on the counter, police said. Police said they believe the men used the bag to carry any money they could take from the store.
Crime-stopping Cardboard Cop Stolen
Belper, England
The police officer at a British shop didn't move a muscle when thieves carted him away – he couldn't because he was a cardboard cutout. Just days after police officials heralded the cutout's effectiveness in deterring shoplifting, the cutout itself was lifted, the Daily Mail reported. Police said thefts dropped by an average of 36 a month to just one after the replica of police officer Bob Molloy was put up in shops in Belper. Inspector Andy Picken said the cutout was used to help engage the community so "the theft is a bit disappointing. But the project has not been hampered by this incident." But apparently the 2D replica did some good his last day on the job – a thief paid for his articles before snatching him.
Pants Left at the Scene of the Crime
The man squirmed out of his pants and shoes while scuffling with the homeowner, police said. Clad in only a hooded sweat shirt and red boxer shorts, he fled from the house on the city's northwest side. Police later found him hiding in tall grass in a wooded area. They are seeking charges of disorderly conduct, burglary and possession of stolen property. The homeowner spotted a light in his basement when he returned about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, police said Monday. The suspect ran into the garage, could not find his way out and returned to the house, where the homeowner pinned him against a wall. The homeowner's wife, who had been sleeping upstairs, heard the commotion and called police. The suspect shimmied out of his pants and fled before officers arrived. A search of his pants turned up property believed to have been taken from a vehicle in the neighborhood, police said.
Man Learns Guns Aren't for Work Place
Lake Worth, Texas
A 47-year-old Texas man learned the hard way recently that you probably shouldn't take a concealed gun with you to work. Lake Worth Police Chief Brett McGuire said an employee of a local insurance firm who thought it was a good idea to tote a gun to work was shot in both legs when his weapon accidentally discharged, KXAS-TV in Fort Worth reported Tuesday. The police chief said Tuesday's accident at Al Boenker Insurance was likely not the result of a planned attack by the self-wounded employee. "He was not under any sort of disciplinary problems at Al Boenker. There was nothing that was coming down from management or anything that would indicate he was facing any disciplinary charges, and he got along well with his co-workers," McGuire said. "We have no indication that there was anything other than a negligent discharge on his part." KXAS-TV said that in addition to suffering the self-inflicted wounds, the unidentified employee now faces charges for unlawfully carrying a weapon.
Alleged Burglar Caught Pants Less
West Bend, Wisconsin
Police in West Bend, Wis., are seeking charges of disorderly conduct, burglary and possession of stolen property against a man who forgot his pants. The 18-year-old burglary suspect allegedly broke into a house and scuffled with the homeowner, leaving behind his shoes and pants as he fled, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Monday. Wearing a sweatshirt and red boxer shorts, the suspect was found hiding in tall grass by police. West Bend police said the homeowner returned home and saw light from a flashlight before noticing someone standing at the foot of the basement stairs. He then pinned the person against a wall but during the struggle, his grip slipped to the other mans legs and the person slipped out of his pants and ran. A search of the pants found property believed to have been stolen from a vehicle in the neighborhood, said police.
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
A former carwash worker in Fond du Lac, Wis., was charged with stealing more than 71 pounds of quarters from the business' cash machines. Scott Schmitz was charged with burglary, theft, criminal damage to property and bail jumping after he allegedly broke into Buggy Bath Car Wash Nov. 2 and stole $1,400 worth of quarters and $1,000 in bills from cash machines on the premises, the Fon du Lac Reporter said Monday. A Fond du Lac police report said Schmitz, a former Buggy Bath employee, was angry with the carwash's owner and had previously spoken about getting back at him. Police said they found two containers filled with more than $100 in quarters, multiple clear plastic bags, twist ties and a broken lock during searches of Schmitz' home and car. The police report said Schmitz was seen in the week after the burglary purchasing items using only quarters and bought a new car, the Reporter said.
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