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Strange Crimes

I could probably give him (brief) benefit of doubt about the crime being committed in self defence, until he pulled the ears out:oops:

Perhaps he thought he was helping his local police:

Parker (distressed): “I’ve killed someone!”

Desk bobby (cynical): “Yeah, riiiight...”

Parker (reaching into pocket): “Check this out...”

maximus otter
 
A Lafayette man used a dating app as a “hunting ground” and lured a man he met on the app to a home where he planned on killing him to keep parts of his body as “trophies” and “food,” according to court documents.

iu


Chance Seneca, 19, has been charged federally with one count of hate crime with attempt to kill, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, two counts of kidnapping, one count of attempted kidnapping and one count of obstruction by destruction of records.

On June 19, Seneca is accused of attempting to kidnap one man. He kidnapped another the same night, according to court filings.

The next day, Seneca picked up an 18-year-old he met on Grindr, a dating app for gay and bisexual men, from the man’s apartment. Seneca drove them to his dad’s house on Maryview Farm Road, where the two would be alone.

Seneca convinced the man to put on handcuffs. Seneca held a gun to the man’s back and told him that he could “do this the easy way or the hard way,” .

While the man was unconscious, Seneca took the man’s clothes off and put his body in the bathtub. He slit his wrists with a knife, according to court documents.

“Seneca explained that he had hoped to remove and preserve (the man’s) hands but that he could not finish his plan after seeing the bones of (the man’s) wrists exposed under the flesh,” the FBI agent wrote. “Seneca recalled crying during the attack and telling himself ‘not to bitch out.’”

He "intended to dismember and keep parts of the victim's body as trophies, mementos and food,” according to the Department of Justice.

He later told an FBI agent he used Grindr to "lure" the man to his father's house and "considered it fair to describe Grindr as his 'hunting ground'".

https://eu.theadvertiser.com/story/...indr-hunting-ground-documents-say/4756378001/

maximus otter
 
Noticed this overreaction (all round) in the current FT:
News story

Basically a juggler was shot dead by police, and massive riots erupted that left over 30,000 people in Southern Chile without public services. Before you say, he must have been a hell of a good juggler, the violence was more a protest against police corruption. But you know? Maybe he was a really good juggler, it's an excellent skill.
 
Who stole Darius Rabbit?

Who's in the frame? Thieves steal world's biggest BUNNY 'Darius' from ex-Playboy model who spent £10,000 on surgery to look like Jessica Rabbit
  • World record holder Darius was taken from a Worcestershire home this weekend
  • Owner Annette Edwards has offered a £1,000 reward for the bunny's safe return
  • Ms Edwards, model and former page 3 girl, is an expert at breeding large rabbits
  • Sharing news on Twitter she says Darius, who is 4ft 3ins long, is too old to breed
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ayboy-model-offering-1-000-reward-return.html
 

Obstinacy may not be a crime per se, but it allowed this Connecticut woman to accumulate 4 arrests and a long list of charges and fines all in a single day.
Connecticut woman arrested 4 times in 24 hours

A woman in Plainfield was arrested four times in the span of 24 hours.

Heather Poplasky, 32, was first arrested on April 10 for threatening to cut herself with a large kitchen knife and blame it on her boyfriend. ...

They charged her with disorderly conduct and second-degree reckless endangerment. She was released on bond and transported to a hospital for an evaluation.

There, she was issued a summons by Putnam police for an incident involving the hospital staff.

On April 11, Poplasky was released from the hospital and returned to the home despite being told not to per the conditions of her release.

Plainfield police said they arrested her again at that point and charged her with three counts of violation of condition of release, disorderly conduct, third-degree assault, first-degree criminal trespass, and possession of a dangerous weapon. ...

While in custody, police said Poplasky flooded her holding cell by placing a roll of toilet paper and trash in the toilet.

For that incident, they charged her with third-degree criminal mischief and added $5,000 to her bond.

FULL STORY: https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/conn...cle_4c935bf1-7e99-5254-9856-da121973e5b7.html
 
This is a rather odd case, with echoes of the infamous Burke and Hare...
(Via BBC News)
Chinese man kidnapped and killed in elaborate body swap scheme
"A Chinese man with Down's syndrome was kidnapped and killed as part of an elaborate body swap scheme.
There is a ban on burials in many parts of China - to get around this, one family hired someone to provide them with a substitute body, which was cremated in its place.
But unbeknown to them, the body provided was that of a murdered victim.
The murder took place in 2017 but only gained prominence last week after an article on the incident emerged online.
The hired man - identified only by his surname Huang - has been handed a suspended death sentence, according to the Guangdong Higher People's Court."
 
This guy was charged and fined, so I'm calling it "crime."
Couple: Man has tossed used cups in their yard for 3 years

An upstate New York couple may have finally solved the mystery of who’s been tossing used coffee cups in their front yard for nearly three years.

Edward and Cheryl Patton told The Buffalo News they tried mounting a camera in a tree in front of their home in Lake View to catch the phantom litterer. But it wasn’t until some neighbors got involved recently and followed a minivan and jotted down its license plate number that there was a break in the case. ...

After Edward Patton called police, they waited and pulled over a vehicle driven by 76-year-old Larry Pope, who Cheryl Patton said had once worked with her and had had disagreements with her over union issues.

Pope was charged with harassment and ticketed for throwing refuse onto a roadway. ...

FULL STORY: https://apnews.com/article/larry-pope-0b600b0ac80ada9c52e871f8f40d8ec0
 
This is a rather odd case, with echoes of the infamous Burke and Hare...
(Via BBC News)
Chinese man kidnapped and killed in elaborate body swap scheme
"A Chinese man with Down's syndrome was kidnapped and killed as part of an elaborate body swap scheme.
There is a ban on burials in many parts of China - to get around this, one family hired someone to provide them with a substitute body, which was cremated in its place.
But unbeknown to them, the body provided was that of a murdered victim.
The murder took place in 2017 but only gained prominence last week after an article on the incident emerged online.
The hired man - identified only by his surname Huang - has been handed a suspended death sentence, according to the Guangdong Higher People's Court."

OK: What exactly is a “suspended death sentence”? An ironic term for life imprisonment?

maximus otter
 
OK: What exactly is a “suspended death sentence”? An ironic term for life imprisonment?

The point and effect of the Chinese suspended death sentence is a matter of some debate.

In China, a two-year reprieve may be pronounced simultaneously with an imposition of the death sentence if immediate execution is not deemed “necessary.” At the end of this reprieve, the death sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment if the convict has not committed an “intentional crime” during the two-year reprieve, or to a fixed-term imprisonment of 25 years if the convict has performed “great meritorious service.” While the suspended death sentence has been praised for being “humane” by reducing the total number of executions in China, it has also been criticised as being “cruel” and “inhuman” for supposedly placing the convict in a state of suspense and anxiety – for a period of two years – over whether he or she would eventually face execution.

From:

China's Suspended Death Sentence with a Two-Year Reprieve: Humanitarian Reprieve or Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Punishment?
NUS Law Working Paper No. 2017/006
Matthew Seet
National University of Singapore (NUS) - Faculty of Law
Date Written: April 18, 2017
Posted: 19 Apr 2017 Last revised: 23 Jun 2017

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2954419
 
A sad case.

A man with a long history of mental illness shot a children's author after becoming wrongly convinced he was a Russian spy, an inquest has heard.

James Nash, 42, was attacked in his garden by his next-door neighbour in Upper Enham, Hampshire, on 5 August and died three days later. The gunman, Alex Sartain, died in a motorbike crash while being pursued by police on the same day. The coroner recorded a conclusion that Mr Nash was unlawfully killed.

Hampshire Coroner's Court was told Mr Sartain's mental health problems dated back to 2008 and his father had tried to raise concerns with a GP in June last year but "only got as far as the receptionist".

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-56800574
 
A sad case.

A man with a long history of mental illness shot a children's author after becoming wrongly convinced he was a Russian spy, an inquest has heard.

James Nash, 42, was attacked in his garden by his next-door neighbour in Upper Enham, Hampshire, on 5 August and died three days later. The gunman, Alex Sartain, died in a motorbike crash while being pursued by police on the same day. The coroner recorded a conclusion that Mr Nash was unlawfully killed.

Hampshire Coroner's Court was told Mr Sartain's mental health problems dated back to 2008 and his father had tried to raise concerns with a GP in June last year but "only got as far as the receptionist".

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-56800574
That's very sad. :(

Sounds like it could maybe have been avoided if the guy had gotten treatment sooner.
 
Five men entered a Michigan Target department store, poured chocolate syrup over merchandise in a single department, and left before the damage was noticed and store security was alerted.
Five men enter Woodhaven Target, pour Hershey’s Syrup all over merchandise

Five male suspects were captured on surveillance video entering a department store and pouring Hershey’s Syrup all over miscellaneous merchandise.

According to Woodhaven police, the department was contacted about the incident that occurred just before 10 p.m. on April 16 at Target, 23555 Allen Road. ...

The asset protection leader told police the men are seen on a closed circuit television going to the seasonal area of the store and pouring the syrup on merchandise, causing about $1,000 worth of damage to their inventory.

According to the report, the suspects were in and out of the store within about 10 minutes.

By the time employees were aware of the incident, the suspects had already left the store. ...

FULL STORY: https://www.thenewsherald.com/news/...cle_65dec138-a124-11eb-a112-c32f0dd9b4fd.html
 
Someone must have felt the need to use his newly acquired saw more often. I suppose it's an ordinary saw to avoid making too much noise when doing the crime.
--------------------------------------
Terror in southern England as dozens of much-loved trees are felled in the dead of night
By Rob Picheta, CNN

Updated 0740 GMT (1540 HKT) April 24, 2021

Two of the trees that have fallen victim to the phantom culprit.


Two of the trees that have fallen victim to the phantom culprit.
London (CNN)On a typical day, the picturesque district of Elmbridge would fit all the descriptors of any well-to-do English countryside locale: It's quiet, green and safe, a world away from the bustle of nearby London, and its residents take pride in its leafy landscapes and riverside views.

But these are not typical days in Elmbridge.

A chainsaw-wielding, tree-felling "maniac" has been roaming the sleepy region under cover of darkness, bringing down the area's greenery and mobilizing terrorized villagers to launch a surveillance operation in the hope of catching the offender.

The campaign of clandestine attacks began a month ago, and has rattled locals.
"I feel like he's playing a game with us," resident Cameron Flynn told CNN this week. "People are very confused by the whole situation ... Some people are scared because there's this maniac going around with a massive chainsaw, cutting trees."

But rather than cowering from the branch-chopping culprit, Elmbridge residents have banded together. A sleuthing Facebook group, the Elmbridge Tree Patrol, has amassed more than 1,200 members in weeks, and locals are posting tips and possible sightings on a daily basis.

Flynn, who created the group, said he was inspired by a local online litter-picking community. But within hours, his initiative has captured the fear and determination of the region.

Members have volunteered for nighttime patrols, the details of which are kept tightly guarded in case the phantom feller has joined the closed online group.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/24/uk/elmbridge-tree-felling-investigation-scli-gbr-intl/index.html


 
Train passenger arrested for hiding nearly 30,000 euros in bag of crisps
On the international train near Breda, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee detained a traveller from Italy. The man was carrying more than 33,000 euros in cash. Most of that, nearly 30,000 euros, was in a bag of chips, the military said Sunday.
The police checked the traveler's papers, which showed that he was registered as an 'unwanted stranger'. During the search of the man, 3,540 euros was found in his clothing.
"In his bag they found a bag of crisps that felt heavier than usual," the police said. 29,900 euros was found in the package.
Police say the man has been arrested on money laundering charges. The money's been confiscated.

1619376110008.png
 
Police say the man has been arrested on money laundering charges. The money's been confiscated.

View attachment 38530
There was a sketch at the end of a TV prog some years ago - no idea which one - where an American tourist was stopped in Brazilian customs. The Officer going through his suitcase extracted a jar of instant coffee and shouted over to his colleagues 'Hey look at this, the crazy gringo is trying to bring coffee into Brazil !' The unfortunate man was then made to empty the jar contents into an airport potted plant and sent packing.
Next tourist dumped a large suitcase on the counter which when opened, was stacked with bank notes.
'What's this ?' asked the custom Officer suspiciously. 'Money' said the tourist.
'Who's is it ?' 'Mine'
'What are you going to do with it ?' 'Spend it.'

Long pause then all the Officers altogether
'Ahh welcome to Brazil'
 
A bit bizarre.

NORMAN, OK — A former Oklahoma resident is facing felony embezzlement charges for not returning a VHS tape rented in Norman more than two decades ago.

Online documents show Caron McBride is a wanted woman for never returning 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' on VHS tape in 1999.

"The first thing she told me was felony embezzlement, so, I thought I was gonna have a heart attack," McBride said.

McBride said she first learned about the charges when trying to change her name on her license after getting married in Texas. ...

Documents show the movie was rented at 'Movie Place' in Norman, which is no longer open. The Cleveland County Assessor's Office said records show the business closed down in 2008.

Ed Blau with Blau Law Firm told FOX 25 Tuesday that even though there's technically no victim in the case because of the business closure, Cleveland County could still prosecute the case because charges and a warrant was filed against McBride.

"I mean, I didn't try to deceive anyone over Samantha (Sabrina) the Teenage Witch. I swear," McBride said.

https://boingboing.net/2021/04/26/f...tch-21-years-ago-and-failed-to-return-it.html
 
Embezzlement?
Exactly my thought. Theft, maybe, but not even really that...

I thought I'd posted this story and provided an explanation, but apparently I got distracted and never submitted it ... Anyway ...

I looked up the Oklahoma statute concerning embezzlement. It defines embezzlement as any possession, control or usage of property without the property owner's consent. At least in Oklahoma, it would seem no distinction is drawn between intangible property (e.g., financial instruments or similar assets) and tangible property (physical objects; things). I'm familiar with this distinction being drawn in other states where I've had occasion to undertake probate actions, and I'm not sure all states recognize the same distinction in the same way.
 
I looked up the Oklahoma statute concerning embezzlement. It defines embezzlement as any possession, control or usage of property without the property owner's consent.

Thanks for the concise summary!

That's pretty strange, at least to me. Of course, I'm reading this story from a UK perspective - over here, it would be more likely to merit a few lines in the local press than it would a criminal record. We often have stories about library books being returned 50 years late, and I don't remember anyone needing to get the police involved!

In this case, the poor woman (whose "crime" appears to have been one of amnesia, at worst) couldn't even put things right if she wanted to, the video store having gone out of business a decade ago.
 
... A mother employed by a school system and her teen daughter used the mother's computer access privileges to input fraudulent votes and get the daughter elected high school homecoming queen this past autumn. I doubt they foresaw the scale and severity of the legal blowback this would cause ...

Update ... The legal blowback is indeed severe. The authorities are throwing the book at the mother / daughter pair, and the daughter will be tried as an adult.
Florida Teen charged as adult in rigged homecoming election

A Florida teen accused of rigging a homecoming queen election with her mother is being charged as an adult, prosecutors said.

Emily Rose Grover was still 17 when she was arrested in March. She turned 18 in April, and the State Attorney’s Office in Escambia County confirmed Tuesday that Grover will be tried as an adult. ...

Investigators found that in October, hundreds of votes for the school’s homecoming court were flagged as fraudulent, the news release said. There were 117 votes from the same IP address within a short period of time, the investigation found.

That’s when investigators found evidence of unauthorized access to the system linked to Carroll’s cellphone and computers at her home. The were 246 votes cast for homecoming court from those devices. ...

Investigators learned that since August 2019, Carroll’s account accessed 372 high school records and 339 of those were Tate students. ...

Officials have confirmed that Carroll was suspended from her job, but it wasn’t immediately clear if she has been fired. Authorities said Grover was expelled from Tate High School.

Each are charged with offenses against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks and electronic devices; unlawful use of a two-way communications device; criminal use of personally identifiable information and conspiracy to commit those offenses. ...

Prosecutors said the mother and daughter each face a maximum 16-year sentence.
FULL STORY: https://apnews.com/article/florida-oddities-elections-education-b01aae41001036a30a545896af80c2af
 
All to win homecoming queen! What a stupid thing to ruin your future over.

Agreed ... That's why I prefaced my original posting of the story with a quip about the costs of vanity.

This case illustrates the bizarre mindset that seems to have progressively infected relatively affluent populations worldwide - life is no more than a soap opera, and I'm the central character in the only subplot that counts in this drama.
 
Bizarre break-in: Intruder floods bathrooms, sprinkles sand on table
By Wyatt Ryder


It may not be Home Alone, but a wet bandit seems to be on the prowl in Dunedin.

Nothing was stolen in a Willowbank flat burglary early on Sunday, but showers were turned on and left running.
Sand was sprinkled on the dining table.
Four ping-pong balls were moved to the garden and placed next to each other.
A handsaw was broken, and then thrown on to a neighbour’s balcony.
etc

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/...Sf2QGVCjvHgwxwi69yjeS0IakdvvDjAtD4diINPnri6Zw
 
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