weird crimes

Read odd news stories and other latest weird crimes news from around the world on Newser.com

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Clerk Allegedly Stole Customer's $1M Lottery Ticket

Customer didn't realize he'd won until lottery officials called him

(Newser) - A Tennessee man went to a Murfreesboro Shell station to buy some lottery tickets and have them scanned, and police say that instead of informing the customer one of his tickets was a $1 million winner, the clerk took the opportunity to nab it for himself. Meet Patel is accused...

Meet the '80s Pay Phone Bandit Who Eluded the FBI for Years

Pay phone lockboxes were designed to be impenetrable—until James Clark entered the scene

(Newser) - Once upon a time, long before the days of smart phones, pay phones were the most convenient way to reach someone when you were on the go. Jake Rossen delves into a true crime story for Mental Floss centered on these relics from the past, and an anti-hero of sorts...

Cops Make $200K Lego Bust at Oregon Toy Store

Owner accused of 'knowingly' buying stolen Lego sets from thieves who took them from other stores

(Newser) - Police in Oregon say they've recovered at least $200,000 in stolen Lego pieces—after thieves lifted them from local retailers and sold them for "a fraction" of their price tag to another store owner who "knowingly" scooped them up despite being aware of their origins, reports...

'Unfailingly Polite' Dad of 16 Tried to Hire a Hit Man
Evangelical Father of 16
Busted in Hit Man Hire
longform
Jun 30, 2024 9:03 AM CDT

Evangelical Father of 16 Busted in Hit Man Hire

New York magazine digs into the unexpected charges against Christopher Pence of Utah

(Newser) - Earlier this year, federal authorities announced that a 43-year-old Utah man had been sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to hire a hit man online. What makes the case especially unusual are the particulars about Christopher Pence and his motives, as laid out in detail in New York ...

Cops: Homeowner, 72, Shot Walmart Drone

Dennis Winn, 72, is arrested in Lake County

(Newser) - A 72-year-old Florida homeowner is in hot water after police say he opened fire on a Walmart delivery drone, reports ClickOrlando . He allegedly scored a direct hit, to boot. The Lake County Sheriff's Office says in a release that David Winn admitted to pulling out a 9mm pistol and...

Nugget From Gold Rush Era Stolen From Show

Thief in California nabs one the size of a goose egg

(Newser) - Some lucky prospector found a gold nugget the size of a goose egg during the California Gold Rush of the 19th century. This week, a thief appears to have walked away with the same nugget from a collectibles show in the state, reports the Los Angeles Times . Coin shop owner...

Cops: After 16-Plus Years, We Nabbed the 'Bad Breath Rapist'

Tuen Kit Lee was arrested in San Francisco Bay area, long after 2005 crime in Massachusetts

(Newser) - Since 2007, authorities have sought a man dubbed the "Bad Breath Rapist," who escaped custody and went on the lam. Now, their suspect is in custody once again, on the opposite coast from where he carried out his crime. Per the AP , Tuen Kit Lee's story begins...

Crime Syndicate's Odd Target: First-Edition Pushkins

Rare and valuable Russian books disappearing from libraries across Europe

(Newser) - Stories about international gangs of thieves often involve heists of art, jewels, or maybe gold. In this case: library books. Police have made arrests in what they describe as a sophisticated operation that has swiped more than 170 rare Russian books from libraries across Europe over the last two years,...

Sneaky Artist Hangs His Art Among Dali, Picasso, Loses Job

German artist lost his museum job, is being investigated for property damage

(Newser) - A museum employee fulfilled his wish of seeing his own art hanging among celebrated works from world-famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí, though it meant he lost his job—which might not be the end of it. The German man, formerly employed in technical service at Munich's...

This Police Chase Definitely Wasn't Typical
This Police Chase
Definitely Wasn't Typical
VIDEO
Apr 1, 2024 12:24 PM CDT

This Police Chase Definitely Wasn't Typical

Cops on horses galloped after shoplifting suspect in Albuquerque, New Mexico

(Newser) - "It's not a common sight" is the understatement of the day, used by KRQE to describe a police chase that took place in New Mexico. That's because the chase in question involved a group of cops on horses trying to corral a suspected shoplifter in the streets...

Team Will Have to Owe Fans That Bobblehead
Stolen Jagr Bobbleheads
Have Been Found
UPDATED
Mar 26, 2024 8:06 AM CDT

Stolen Jagr Bobbleheads Have Been Found

Souvenirs intended for Pittsburgh Penguins fan giveaway earlier this month have been recovered

(Newser) - "THE JAGR BOBBLEHEADS ARE HOME!" With that tweet by the Pittsburgh Penguins, "one of the more bizarre tales in NHL history" comes to a close, reports CNN . In a release Monday, the NHL team announced that a "special cargo recovery team" had "negotiated the return"...

The 'Little Rascals' Arrested for Bank Robbery

Boys ages 11, 12, and 16 allegedly passed threatening note in Houston

(Newser) - Three boys, ages 11, 12, and 16 and dubbed the "Little Rascals," have been arrested for robbing a bank in Houston, authorities confirmed Wednesday, per the AP . Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the youngsters are in custody and have been charged with robbery by threat. Gonzalez said...

A Sex Tape, Threats, and Dorothy's Ruby Slippers

Second man busted for theft of iconic 'Wizard of Oz' prop, with some eyebrow-raising details

(Newser) - A second man has been charged in connection with the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz, according to an indictment made public Sunday.
  • The theft: The slippers, adorned with sequins and glass beads, were stolen from the Judy Garland
...

Police: Woman Pumped $28K in Free Gas via Sneaky Glitch
Police: Woman Pumped $28K
in Free Gas via Sneaky Glitch
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Mar 16, 2024 6:00 AM CDT

Police: Woman Pumped $28K in Free Gas via Sneaky Glitch

Nebraska gas station pump was exploited with a rewards card, authorities say

(Newser) - There's no such thing as a free lunch, or free gas, though Nebraska authorities say that for six-plus months, one enterprising woman exploited a glitch via her rewards card that scored her nearly $28,000 in gratis gas.
  • The glitch: Police say a software update at the pumps at
...

Here's Your 'Ewwww' Crime of the Day
Here's Your
'Ewwww' Crime
of the Day
Mar 14, 2024 12:46 PM CDT

Here's Your 'Ewwww' Crime of the Day

Mississippi cop charged after allegedly making prisoner lick urine-coated floor

(Newser) - Holding cells aren't known for their luxe accommodations, but one prisoner reportedly had an especially gross stay during his temporary detention in a Mississippi jail. Court files show that police officer Michael Christian Green has been charged with one federal count of deprivation of rights under color of law,...

Feds Find Goose Intestines Under Dead Rattlesnakes

Feds bust 6 for illegally importing gross stuff hidden under other gross stuff

(Newser) - Six people were arrested in New York on Tuesday on charges of illegally importing goose and duck intestines from China, in some cases by hiding them under packaged rattlesnakes or mislabeling them as pet grooming products on customs forms, federal officials announced. The scheme, which the AP reports also included...

Smuggling Greenhouse Gases Is Now a Thing

Michael Hart is first in US to be hit with such a charge after alleged transport of HFCs from Mexico

(Newser) - A Southern California man was arrested Monday on suspicion of smuggling refrigerants into the US from Mexico, and federal prosecutors said he's the first person to be charged with violating regulations intended to curb the use of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The indictment alleges Michael Hart...

Cops: Driverless Taxi Foils Would-Be Car Thief

Suspect in Los Angeles faces charges of grand theft auto

(Newser) - He must have thought it would be the world's easiest car theft: A man in Los Angeles popped behind the wheel of a Waymo driverless taxi in Los Angeles, only to discover that he couldn't make the car go, reports NBC News . Instead, he heard a disembodied voice...

Smuggling of Rare Butterflies Doesn't End Well for NY Man

Long Island man who labeled rare insects as 'wall decorations' pleads guilty

(Newser) - A Long Island man has pleaded guilty to illegally trafficking bird-wing butterflies and other rare insects, according to a plea deal filed in Brooklyn federal court. Charles Limmer, 75, of Commack, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to smuggle wildlife into the country and agreed to pay a $30,...

Thieves Return Director's Medals, With an Apology

'Sir, please forgive us,' they write to M. Manikandan in India

(Newser) - Burglars who broke into the country home of a prominent director in India had a change of heart, though not a complete change of heart—they returned two prestigious medals he earned for directing but kept his money, reports the Times of India . Police say the thieves busted into the...

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