Crime Scene: Offbeat


Posted at 03:18 PM ET, 09/26/2012

Suspected burglar arrested with jug full of money
By Matt Zapotosky
Demetrius Jerome Coles, 19, was charged with burglary Monday after an officer spotted him with a jug full of money, Pr. George’s police said.

By Matt Zapotosky  |  03:18 PM ET, 09/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Matt Zapotosky, Offbeat, Pr. George's

Posted at 12:49 PM ET, 05/31/2012

Pr. George’s postpones #TweetTheChief event
By Matt Zapotosky
The officer suddenly died of an apparent medical emergency Thursday morning.

By Matt Zapotosky  |  12:49 PM ET, 05/31/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Matt Zapotosky, Offbeat, Pr. George's

Posted at 03:24 PM ET, 04/11/2012

Bank robbery suspect caught after apparent suicide attempt
By Matt Zapotosky
Prince George’s police arrested two men Wednesday who tried to rob a bank in Largo, then led police on a chase that ended when one of the men tried to hang himself, authorities said.

By Matt Zapotosky  |  03:24 PM ET, 04/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Matt Zapotosky, Offbeat, Pr. George's

Posted at 12:51 PM ET, 04/08/2012

Woman injured after golf cart rolls at Va. club
By Matt Zapotosky
A woman was injured late Sunday morning when she rolled a golf cart at Trump National Golf Club in Loudoun County, authorities said.

By Matt Zapotosky  |  12:51 PM ET, 04/08/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Matt Zapotosky, Offbeat, Loudoun

Posted at 07:44 AM ET, 10/05/2011

Woman traps Md. robbery suspect in car: Police
By the Associated Press
Authorities say a Hagerstown woman charged with purse snatching was caught by another woman who locked the suspect in her car.

By the Associated Press  |  07:44 AM ET, 10/05/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Maryland, Offbeat

Posted at 05:42 PM ET, 08/16/2011

Man, woman charged with trying to smuggle drugs in Bible
By the Associated Press
A man and woman are facing charges after police say they tried to smuggle drugs into a Virginia jail hidden in a Bible.

By the Associated Press  |  05:42 PM ET, 08/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Virginia

Posted at 11:47 AM ET, 08/03/2011

Md. man charged in battle ax attack
By Associated Press

By Associated Press  |  11:47 AM ET, 08/03/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Frederick, Offbeat

Posted at 10:04 AM ET, 06/22/2011

Police: Man wielded sword on Md. street
By Associated Press
Authorities say a Frederick man has been charged with brandishing wielding a 3-foot sword.

By Associated Press  |  10:04 AM ET, 06/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Frederick, Offbeat

Posted at 07:21 AM ET, 06/22/2011

Md. man replaces boss’s presentation with porn
By Baltimore Sun
A Baltimore man was sentenced Tuesday in Baltimore City's first computer hacking case, according to the city's state's attorney's office.

By Baltimore Sun  |  07:21 AM ET, 06/22/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Baltimore, Offbeat

Posted at 02:02 PM ET, 06/16/2011

Car crashes into Fort Washington gym
By Matt Zapotosky
No one hurt as vehicle plows through front window

By Matt Zapotosky  |  02:02 PM ET, 06/16/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Matt Zapotosky, Pr. George's, Offbeat

Posted at 03:03 PM ET, 06/02/2011

Man confronts gararge burglar in Va.
By Justin Jouvenal
It is not often burglars flee wearing motorcycle helmets, but it happened in Landsdowne on Wednesday, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.

By Justin Jouvenal  |  03:03 PM ET, 06/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Loudoun, Offbeat

Posted at 07:50 AM ET, 06/01/2011

Lawyer charged with taking book: ‘Understanding White Collar Crime’
By Baltimore Sun
Stanley Needleman allegedly stole a judicial clerk's school textbook from a Baltimore County courtroom.

By Baltimore Sun  |  07:50 AM ET, 06/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Baltimore, Offbeat

Posted at 09:12 AM ET, 05/27/2011

Guilty plea in wood chipper death
By Associated Press
A landscaping company has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor safety violation stemming from a wood chipper accident that killed a 14-year-old worker.

By Associated Press  |  09:12 AM ET, 05/27/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat

Posted at 07:38 AM ET, 05/11/2011

Baltimore thief steals, returns debit card
By The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore police are searching for a man who broke into a home, stole a woman’s debit card and then returned it to the victim about 10 minutes later.

By The Baltimore Sun  |  07:38 AM ET, 05/11/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Baltimore, Offbeat

Posted at 07:53 AM ET, 04/12/2011

Man charged with stealing, selling parts of Va. bridge
By
A man has been accused of stealing and selling parts of a Petersburg bridge.

By  |  07:53 AM ET, 04/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Virginia, Offbeat

Posted at 11:55 AM ET, 04/06/2011

Man stuck to toilet seat in Md. Wal-Mart
By the Cecil Whig
Elkton police say a man became stuck to a department store toilet seat after someone spread glue on it.

By the Cecil Whig  |  11:55 AM ET, 04/06/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Maryland, Offbeat

Posted at 06:47 AM ET, 03/03/2011

In Pa., it's 'terrorism by mice'
By Washington Post Editors
A man in Pennsylvania has been arrested and charged with trying to sabotage competing pizza shop owners with mice, according to this report: "It's terrorism by mice," said Upper Darby police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. "I've never had to deal with...

By Washington Post Editors  |  06:47 AM ET, 03/03/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Animal Stories, Around the Nation, Offbeat

Posted at 06:44 AM ET, 03/02/2011

Probation for woman's naked store dance
By The Daily Times of Salisbury
A Virginia woman has been sentenced to 18 months supervised probation for taking off her clothes in a Maryland convenience store and sexually harassing patrons and employees. Twenty-two-year-old Jennifer Riegler of Accomack County also agreed not to return to Maryland...

By The Daily Times of Salisbury  |  06:44 AM ET, 03/02/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  From the Courthouse, Maryland, Offbeat, Virginia

Posted at 06:46 AM ET, 03/01/2011

Fork-wielding man charged with impersonating cop
By Washington Post Editors
A man in Florida was charged with impersonating a police officer after pointing a barbecue fork at some motorists, according to this report: The Broward County Sheriff's Office said deputies found Howard Schultz of Pompano Beach pointing his 10-inch cooking...

By Washington Post Editors  |  06:46 AM ET, 03/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Around the Nation, Offbeat

Posted at 06:37 AM ET, 02/28/2011

Authorities allege 18,000 fake 911 calls in Calif.
By Washington Post Editors
An East Los Angeles man has been charged with making more than 18,000 crank 911 calls, according to this report: Maurice Cruz, 43, was booked on suspicion of misusing 911 emergency lines to annoy or harass, a misdemeanor punishable by...

By Washington Post Editors  |  06:37 AM ET, 02/28/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Around the Nation, Offbeat

Posted at 08:45 AM ET, 02/03/2011

Customer calling for pizza hears robbery
By Allison Klein
Police got word of an armed robbery at a California pizzeria Tuesday night when a customer phoning in an order overheard a gunman demanding cash. The man took money from the cash register at the Pizza Hut in Palm Springs,...

By Allison Klein  |  08:45 AM ET, 02/03/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat

Posted at 07:43 AM ET, 01/03/2011

Site offers list of 'dumbest criminals'
By Washington Post Editors
Gather.com's Lisa Jaklitsch offered a list of offbeat criminals from 2010, including the following: Another Florida man's 'I'm Me' tattoo across his forehead made it ridiculously easy for police to identify him as their suspect in a number of iPhone...

By Washington Post Editors  |  07:43 AM ET, 01/03/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 06:46 AM ET, 12/23/2010

Fla. woman charged with setting boyfriend's pants on fire
By Washington Post Editors
A Florida woman was charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony after allegedly setting fire to her boyfriend's clothes in a sensitive area, according to this report: On Tuesday night, Dixon-Newbold, 38, approached her beau, who was...

By Washington Post Editors  |  06:46 AM ET, 12/23/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 06:41 AM ET, 12/07/2010

Man chooses arrest over returning heavy planter
By Washington Post Editors
A man in Massachusetts caught trying to steal a planter turned down the offer to escape arrest if he returned it, according to this report: Enson M. Ibanez, 25, is charged with disorderly conduct, malicious destruction, and larceny, but police...

By Washington Post Editors  |  06:41 AM ET, 12/07/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 06:58 AM ET, 10/27/2010

Arrest after salad dressing stickup attempt
By Washington Post Editors
A teenager in Florida was arrested after he tried to hold up a convenience store using a bottle of salad dressing -- and had a gun turned on him for his trouble, according to this report: The bottle of salad...

By Washington Post Editors  |  06:58 AM ET, 10/27/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 02:48 AM ET, 10/20/2010

Tax cheat's penalty: Feed the poor pizza
By Washington Post Editors
A Buffalo restaurateur will be feeding pizza to the poor as punishment for cheating the state out of sales tax. Casa-Di-Pizza owner Joseph Jacobbi could have been sent to prison after pleading guilty to third-degree grand larceny. But The Buffalo...

By Washington Post Editors  |  02:48 AM ET, 10/20/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 06:16 AM ET, 09/17/2010

Trouble after N.Y. judge's 'clown' quip
By Washington Post Editors
An appeals court has thrown out a robbery conviction because a New York judge called a defense lawyer “a clown” and “silly” in front of the jury. The appeals panel ruled Tuesday that acting Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary's comments...

By Washington Post Editors  |  06:16 AM ET, 09/17/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 04:10 PM ET, 08/19/2010

Phones down at national 911 group
By Dan Morse
The strangest phone recordings we've heard today came from NENA, the National Emergency Number Association, while we were reporting a story.

By Dan Morse  |  04:10 PM ET, 08/19/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 08:01 AM ET, 06/04/2010

Discussion about religion ends in brawl in Illinois
By Washington Post Editors
A man and his two sons were arrested in Illinois after a conversation about religion ended in a man's beating, according to this report: The Madison County Sheriff's Department said deputies were called to the 1200 block of Clifton Street...

By Washington Post Editors  |  08:01 AM ET, 06/04/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 11:03 AM ET, 02/25/2010

Doctor claims breast implant saved woman's life
By Washington Post editors
When a bullet struck a woman in the chest during a robbery in California, the woman survived. Now her cosmetic surgeon is seeking to defray the cost of the woman's implants. The L.A. Times has the story....

By Washington Post editors  |  11:03 AM ET, 02/25/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat

Posted at 10:35 AM ET, 02/24/2010

He's no Santa
By Washington Post editors
A Brazilian man became a prisoner of his own scheme late on Monday, after he got caught in a restaurant's brick-oven chimney during an attempted robbery. Watch the video as police try to get him out. And check out this...

By Washington Post editors  |  10:35 AM ET, 02/24/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat

Posted at 11:44 AM ET, 02/03/2010

A rocket and a sled don't mix
By Washington Post editors
A man in Independence Township, Mich., thought it would be a good idea to strap a home-made rocket to his sled at a sledding party at his house. But the sled exploded. The Detroit Free Press has the story....

By Washington Post editors  |  11:44 AM ET, 02/03/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat

Posted at 11:43 AM ET, 02/01/2010

Dog (accidentally) shoots her owner
By Washington Post editors
The Fresno Bee has a story about a hunter getting quite a surprise when his dog, um, accidentally, fired a shotgun at him. The dog and owner are fine. Click here for the Bee's story....

By Washington Post editors  |  11:43 AM ET, 02/01/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat

Posted at 10:28 AM ET, 01/28/2010

Lizards in the pants will land you in jail
By Washington Post editors
Lizards in the pants are never a good idea. It's an even worse idea when you're boarding a plane. And an even worse idea if the lizards are rare and protected. The Associated Press reports that a German man who...

By Washington Post editors  |  10:28 AM ET, 01/28/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat | Tags:  airport safety, airport security, lizards, new zealand

Posted at 11:13 AM ET, 12/23/2009

Man with five-inch knife in his chest calls 911, and then orders coffee
By Washington Post editors
What would you do if you were stabbed in the chest? Right, call 911 and go to the hospital. Well, this Detroit man called 911 and walked a mile to a popular burger joint, ordered a cup of coffee and...

By Washington Post editors  |  11:13 AM ET, 12/23/2009 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat

Posted at 08:13 AM ET, 12/21/2009

A bungling burglar
By Washington Post Editors
Here's a story out of New Zealand about a man who, it seems, didn't quite finish the job he started: Police allege 28-year-old Brett Kerr burgled a Prebbleton house, set it on fire and knocked himself out. The homeowner's son,...

By Washington Post Editors  |  08:13 AM ET, 12/21/2009 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 01:08 PM ET, 11/19/2009

The man who cried 'bomb'
By Washington Post Editors
Already standing trial for making face bomb threats, what did James R. Condren do to attempt to get out of trouble? You'll never guess.

By Washington Post Editors  |  01:08 PM ET, 11/19/2009 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 09:31 AM ET, 11/19/2009

Stop! Or I'll...
By Washington Post Editors
A good story needs no embellishment. This is a good story. This next homeowner is a force to be reckoned with. He's 91, he was buck naked, but he and his dog decided to go after a would be burglar....

By Washington Post Editors  |  09:31 AM ET, 11/19/2009 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 07:42 AM ET, 11/18/2009

Letter carrier's snack break ends in arrest
By Washington Post Editors
When you think your home's been broken into, you really shouldn't go inside and look around. If you don't, though, you might miss a scene like this one from Marion, Iowa: Police arrested a mail carrier after she was found...

By Washington Post Editors  |  07:42 AM ET, 11/18/2009 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat

Posted at 01:00 PM ET, 11/17/2009

'Hand over the money, or I'll exhale'
By Washington Post Editors
The Sun Sentinel has a story about a suspected bank robber in Florida whose "weapon" was unusual to say the least: The robber is a black man of medium build with a shaved head. Though he has a tattoo on...

By Washington Post Editors  |  01:00 PM ET, 11/17/2009 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Offbeat, Offbeat, Offbeat