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Strange Crimes

Crooks but at least they safely delivered their clients.

Five people have been arrested for smuggling migrants into western Europe on private jets, Italian police say.

The suspects gave the migrants fake diplomatic papers for the Caribbean nation of St Kitts and Nevis. Private jets, officially heading to the Caribbean, took them from Turkey to a stopover at a European airport, where the migrants declared their real identity and claimed asylum.
Police believe the gang charged about €10,000 (£8,650) per person.

The five suspects have been arrested in Rome and Brussels. Two other suspects are still on the run. An Italian, three Egyptian men and one Tunisian woman were arrested, according to police chief Costantino Scudieri, who spoke to Reuters news agency.
The suspects are being accused of belonging to a criminal organisation involved in abetting illegal immigration.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62907926
 
He's busted and facing a terrorism charge, so I'm calling this a "Strange Crime" rather than a "WTF?" ...

SOURCE: https://apnews.com/19176461547c9dc30382f46a15ed7733

He got off but he didn't have the last laugh.

Here's one to file under "mistakes": dreassing up as The Joker, "threatening" people in a bar, and landing yourself in the clink for months awaiting trial only to be given a sentence substantially shorter than time served.

He said he had no intention on committing violence. "I was talking like The Joker," Garnier told the outlet on the phone. "I was in character. Everybody knew that it was a joke and that I had no intentions of following through with a threat." The case hit a road bump for prosecutors when a judge in January dismissed the case because the state could not provide a witness for a grand jury

https://boingboing.net/2022/09/19/man-sentenced-for-making-threat-while-dressed-as-the-joker.html
 
The "strange" aspect of this case is the criminal's shift from armed bank robbery to identity theft. He wasn't brandishing a gun in his second-phase enterprise, but he's going back to prison nonetheless.
‘Serial bank robber’ switches to identity theft, bank fraud

A convicted “serial bank robber” has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison after admitting to stealing the identities of 10 people to open fraudulent credit accounts and then spending $119,000 on them, officials announced. ...

Rynell Roberts, 39, of Redford, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for bank fraud ... Roberts was also ordered to pay $119,000 in restitution.

Previously, Roberts was convicted of four bank robberies in 2008. During all the bank robberies, Roberts threatened tellers with a firearm. In one case, he fired a pistol inside the bank, court records show. After being released from prison, Roberts switched to fraud to steal from banks. ...
FULL STORY: https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/09/serial-bank-robber-switches-to-identity-theft-bank-fraud.html
 
This is a weird case!
https://www.11alive.com/article/new...-dead/85-c52a4377-0b72-426b-b66d-3b8e7ecaf8f4
Disturbing new details behind mysterious disappearance, death of Athens woman found in woods

Debbie Collier's body was found Sept. 11 after investigators discovered a burnt blue tarp, as well as the body of a naked woman grabbing a small tree with her hand.
Author: Joe Ripley

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — A newly released police report reveals chilling new details about the disappearance of a once-missing Athens mother found dead in Habersham County.

Debbie Collier's body was discovered in a wooded area near Tallulah Falls the day after she went missing. A police report indicates the 59-year-old's car was actually spotted there a day before she was found. The report showed Athens-Clarke County Police worked with Habersham County investigators on Sept. 11 to find Collier's rented minivan, which had been pinged using XM satellite radio.

The report states the vehicle was unlocked and no one was inside. According to the report, Collier's daughter told investigators her mother did not have any history of mental health issues and denied any suicidal tendencies. She also stated that her mother had a bad back, and she could not have walked far.

Investigators said they saw a red tote bag near an uprooted tree in the woods off Georgia Highway 15, where Collier's body was found. They also saw what they believe were the remains of a fire. The report states investigators discovered a burnt blue tarp down in a ravine, as well as the body of a naked woman laying on her back, grabbing a small tree with her right hand. That woman was later identified as Collier.

The day the Athens mother and realty office manager went missing, her daughter told police that her mother sent nearly $2,400 to her through Venmo, along with a message saying, "They are not going to let me go, love you."


Collier's daughter said her mother had left home with only her driver's license and debit card. Investigators are still working to find out who killed Collier, dumped her body in the woods and why. The Habersham County Sheriff's Office sent out a release late Wednesday afternoon, stating they had executed search warrants at locations directly tied to Collier and conducted interviews with those close to her.

The Sheriff's Office said they were working to identify persons of interest. Evidence from the scene was gathered and given to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for analysis, and Collier's body was sent to the GBI for an autopsy.
Roughly the same report in video form:
 
I hope this doesn't become a new fad.

A 12-year-old girl shot her father and then herself after making a pact with a friend to kill their families and pets, authorities in Texas said.

Both the father and daughter were flown to local hospitals Tuesday night after they were found suffering gunshot wounds at their Weatherford home, located west of Fort Worth, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office said.

The 38-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to his abdomen inside the house while the 12-year-old was found lying in the street with a gunshot wound to her head and a handgun beneath her, authorities said.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/weatherford-shooting-murder-plot-lufkin_n_6331a3d0e4b0e24789053bf8
 
I hope this doesn't become a new fad.

A 12-year-old girl shot her father and then herself after making a pact with a friend to kill their families and pets, authorities in Texas said.

Both the father and daughter were flown to local hospitals Tuesday night after they were found suffering gunshot wounds at their Weatherford home, located west of Fort Worth, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office said.

The 38-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to his abdomen inside the house while the 12-year-old was found lying in the street with a gunshot wound to her head and a handgun beneath her, authorities said.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/weatherford-shooting-murder-plot-lufkin_n_6331a3d0e4b0e24789053bf8
:eek: Absolutely horrifying.
There is a strong case for stopping children from accessing social media.
 
I hope this doesn't become a new fad.

A 12-year-old girl shot her father and then herself after making a pact with a friend to kill their families and pets, authorities in Texas said.

Both the father and daughter were flown to local hospitals Tuesday night after they were found suffering gunshot wounds at their Weatherford home, located west of Fort Worth, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office said.

The 38-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to his abdomen inside the house while the 12-year-old was found lying in the street with a gunshot wound to her head and a handgun beneath her, authorities said.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/weatherford-shooting-murder-plot-lufkin_n_6331a3d0e4b0e24789053bf8
Folie au deux? May be.
 
Here's an innovative form of emergency storm preparation. This trio of Florida criminal geniuses was caught in the act of stealing new traffic lights ... On the coast about 50 miles north of Tampa ... With Hurricane Ian bearing down on their location ...
3 men arrested for using saw to cut down, steal traffic lights from poles, deputies say

Three men in Florida have been charged after attempting to steal traffic lights using a saw, officials said.

According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, a detective was driving home around 1 a.m. Tuesday when he noticed a suspicious van stopped at an intersection with its headlights turned off.

The detective then noticed sparks coming from the area where traffic lights were in the process of being installed.

Additional deputies arrived at the scene, where they said they found three men using a saw to cut the traffic lights off the poles. By the time law enforcement arrived, the men had already successfully cut down three stop lights and placed them inside the van.

The sheriff’s office said all three men admitted to stealing the stop lights.

Officials said the traffic lights are valued at $5,000 each.

Deputies said 29-year-old Aaron Ward, 28-year-old James Donnelly, and 27-year-old Oleksiy Naumenko were arrested and charged with grand theft. ...
FULL STORY: https://www.wsaz.com/2022/09/27/3-m...down-steal-traffic-lights-poles-deputies-say/
 
Here's an innovative form of emergency storm preparation. This trio of Florida criminal geniuses was caught in the act of stealing new traffic lights ... On the coast about 50 miles north of Tampa ... With Hurricane Ian bearing down on their location ...

FULL STORY: https://www.wsaz.com/2022/09/27/3-m...down-steal-traffic-lights-poles-deputies-say/
Unbelievable. Crimes which could cause serious injury/death to the public; stealing copper from railways/drain covers etc should be treated far more harshly than they are.
 
Remember the stories about the Russian soldiers advancing into Germany at the close of WWII? Many of them were peasants who had never seen indoor running water or electric lights, so they were stealing faucets and light bulbs to take back home.

Maybe these guys thought that if they were driving with one of these in the car they'd always have the green light . . .
 
Similarly about 70 speed cameras were stolen in the Stockholm area within a few weeks, earlier this year.
 
I suspect intoxication may have been involved on the part of this California woman who killed a man following an argument over an alleged cat. It's still unclear there ever was an actual cat involved in this sad story.
California woman charged with killing man over cat dispute

A California woman has been charged with killing a man by ramming her car into him after accusing him of trying to run over a cat in the street, authorities said Wednesday.

Hannah Star Esser, 20, was charged with murder in the death of Victor Anthony Luis, 43, and detained on $1 million bail, the Orange County prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Esser was driving in the community of Cypress on Sunday night when she confronted Luis and accused him of trying to run over a cat, authorities said.

She and Luis both got out of their vehicles and got into an argument that Esser recorded, authorities said.

Esser then returned to her car, turned around, drove toward Luis and hit him, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. ...

Kimberly Edds, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, said it was not immediately clear whether a cat was actually involved. The crime is still being investigated, she said.
FULL STORY: https://apnews.com/article/entertai...es-santa-ana-311387a2cf8ceec8fbe0e4e417a5f454
 
This Pennsylvania man is charged with making terroristic threats after threatening to "shoot up" a McDonald's restaurant where a 16-year-old employee refused to send him nude photos he'd demanded from her. The only defense he's cited as offering was that he thought she was 18. I'm not sure how the age issue mitigates the charges.
Man threatened to 'shoot up' GC McDonald's over nude photos

A Westmoreland County man faces trial on accusations that he threatened to “shoot up” a Grove city restaurant after a teenage employee refused to send him nude photos.

District Judge Douglas E. Straub held over charges of making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct against Hunter Richard Gerstberger, 19, of Rostraver, Pa. His arraignment in Mercer County Common Pleas Court is scheduled ...

Gerstberger was charged Sept. 2 by Grove City police after the Aug. 16 incident at McDonald’s ...

Police were called to the restaurant that afternoon, when a manager reported that a 16-year-old female employee received the threat from Gerstberger via Snapchat ...

The girl told police that Gerstberger asked her to send nude photos of herself through the social media app.

When she refused, he responded with “I’m going to shoot up your McDonald’s ... McDonald’s in Grove City.”

He made several other threats and the girl saved screenshots of the conversation before she blocked him.

Police obtained a search warrant for Gerstberger’s Snapchat account and had police in Rostraver Township try to contact him.

Grove City police spoke to Gerstberger by phone on Aug. 29. He admitted to talking to the girl on Snapchat and asking her for nude photos, but said he thought the girl was 18. ...
FULL STORY: https://www.sharonherald.com/news/m...cle_0c110736-4012-11ed-8c65-4f3070884dba.html
 
This Pennsylvania man stole a truck and immediately drove it to a mobile home. He broke into the mobile home, telling police later that he was born there.
Bedford man stole truck, found in trailer he was ‘born in:’ Police

A Bedford man is facing charges after he was accused of stealing a stranger’s truck before taking it to the trailer he claimed he was born in, according to state police. ...

State Police were called to a home on Sunnyside Road in Bedford Sept. 29 just after 8 a.m. for a report of a stolen truck. The owner reported to troopers that he went to bed the night before and when he got up around 8 a.m. it was gone. ...

Meanwhile, two different state troopers out of Bedford were called to a trailer on Elk Road for a report of a burglary. A witness told police he saw an unknown male, later identified as Welch, drive up in a truck and try to get into the trailer.

It was discovered that the truck was the one reported stolen from Sunnyside Road. When police entered the residence, they found Welch laying in a closet, according to the criminal complaint.

When interviewed, Welch was asked how he got into the trailer and he reportedly replied to police that he was “born there.” He also told police that the stolen truck was there when he arrived and he was never inside of it, however, police reported that he was barefoot when they found him, and sandals the same size as Welch’s feet were found in the truck. ...

Welch was arraigned and placed in Bedford County Prison on theft, burglary, and trespassing as well as lesser related charges. Bail was set at $25,000 for the truck theft and $50,000 for the burglary. ...
SOURCE: https://www.wtaj.com/news/local-news/bedford-man-stole-truck-found-in-trailer-he-was-born-in-police/
 
This Pennsylvania man stole a truck and immediately drove it to a mobile home. He broke into the mobile home, telling police later that he was born there.

SOURCE: https://www.wtaj.com/news/local-news/bedford-man-stole-truck-found-in-trailer-he-was-born-in-police/
X-7E780281-0F3D-4A00-AA8B-41EA816A2E1C.png
 
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The Altoona Mirror also carries the story.
("The truck was unlocked and the keys were on the dash"
Duh.)

A 31-year-old Bedford man was arraigned Thursday afternoon on theft and burglary charges.
Kenneth Stuart Welch Jr. is accused of stealing a dark blue 2007 Chevrolet Silverado from a Sunnyside Road residence sometime between 9:30 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. Thursday and then later breaking into a home.
State police responded to the theft call Thursday morning in Bedford Township, where the truck owner said the vehicle was parked at his residence when he went to bed but was missing when he woke up. He admitted the truck was unlocked and the keys were on the dash.


https://www.altoonamirror.com/news/...ord-man-in-custody-on-burglary-theft-charges/
 

Train victim’s mom slams ‘complete animals’ in bizarre neon leotards who assaulted, robbed NYC teens


They’re the Green Goblin Gang — and the furious mom of one of their victims says the fiends were “complete animals,” randomly attacking her daughter on her birthday.

subway-fight-robbery-058-1.jpg


Newly released video captured the bizarre group of female robbers wearing full-body, neon green leotards as they punched and tossed around two 19-year-old women on a Times Square subway train about 2 a.m. Sunday. The victims were robbed of a cellphone and handbag, cops said.


“She said she was attacked by aliens, and I didn’t know what she was talking about,” the mother of one of the victims [said].

https://nypost.com/2022/10/03/nyc-subway-attack-by-neon-green-clad-women/

maximus otter
 
Odd stuff! I saw a video of that last night, and I couldn't understand why they were wearing these costumes.
Anonymity, sure - but someone who fought back could have pulled them off, punched them, etc.
They were a girl gang attacking other young women. The men in the carriage did not want to get involved, for fear of a lawsuit against them - perhaps?
 
I wouldn't be surprised if onlookers/bystanders were reluctant to get involved because they thought it was being filmed as some sort of 'performance art' or something.
 
Odd stuff! I saw a video of that last night, and I couldn't understand why they were wearing these costumes.
Anonymity, sure - but someone who fought back could have pulled them off, punched them, etc.
They were a girl gang attacking other young women. The men in the carriage did not want to get involved, for fear of a lawsuit against them - perhaps?

A Hen Night/Bachelorette Party?

Or a Student Freshers Week/ Sorority initiation?

Drunk extras from a music video shoot on the home from the after-party?

Some of them drunk on the way home, get into an argument on the subway, then it becomes a fight and they steal the phone and handbag whilst drunk and angry?
 
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