Unusual but Interesting Crimes

Here’s a few unusual crimes that I have just come across and thought it might be of interest:

The tale of an antique drug smuggler appeared in several publications, including for some reason the Paranormal News. 81 year old Stella Michetti
was arrested for trying to import 10,000 (well, 9,931) Ecstasy pills into the US. Accompanied by her 56 yr old boyfriend, the wheelchair-using granny was picked up in a routine x-ray scan of her luggage. Stella admitted trying to smuggle drugs, but claimed she thought she was just trying to
bring in some Viagra. Police are said to be “still investigating”

It’s not really news, but somehow the headline is just too good to ignore –
Police in Vancouver are reportedly looking for a wheelchair-using shoplifter, who stole 10 pairs of trousers and six leather jackets from a Gap store. He fled the scene in a stolen vehicle. Witnesses were described as confident he had no legs, presumably a fairly distinguishing characteristic. He was however sucessful in his getway, unlike the less-than-cunning shoplifter in Florida spotted lifting US$900 of goods. While running away from security guards just as fast as her little legs would take her, she spotted a car with a door open. And leapt inside, screaming “Help me, help me”. The two off-duty police officers – doing some Xmas shopping at the time – were of course happy to help.

Nikoleta Popesku and Gabriel Malinesku are not destined to find happiness in each others arms. The beautiful friendship that began with letters and
notes, progressed to phone calls, and finally a meeting. Unfortunately, Ms Popesku had told a bit of a porky and described herself as a slender 50 kg – the reality was about double that. Shocked by her duplicity, Mr Malinesku impulsively described her as a hippopotomus. Shocked by his bad manners, she has decided to sue him for compensation of “moral damage” (should that
be ‘morale damage’?). She has declared that beauty doesn’t mean external beauty only, and that she had thought her weight wouldn’t cause any problems in their relationship. Which doesn’t explain exactly why she fibbed about it.

One Austrian mother reportedly doesn’t quite understand the difference between ‘supportive’ and ‘insane’. She decided to help her two firefighter sons look like heros by helping them get to the scene of fires first. Not by driving them, or buying a house close to the station, instead she decided to light the fires herself. And then ring the boys. Apparently the sons became a bit suspicious after nine calls in one month. The woman apologised with this strange quote (maybe it sounded more rational in German): “I am of course very sorry for all the trouble I have caused.
After the first fire, the sound of the fire engines was music to my ears, knowing that my sons were out there helping to save their community.”

Updated: September 26, 2002 — 12:12 pm