Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Habitual offender told judge he goes to prison on purpose so he can study
Jail has been a real education for habitual offender Todd Bontrager.
"I went to jail on purpose, to study," he told a judge in Florida on Thursday.
He was promptly given the opportunity to further advance his curriculum.
Bontrager, 47, was at a first appearance hearing to answer a charge of trespassing, in which he was accused of trying doors at a Fort Lauderdale church. Bontrager, a defendant with a history of stealing and convictions dating back to 2001, and an open charge of felony theft pending, wanted to make one thing clear to County Judge John "Jay" Hurley.
"All my arrests were intentional, just to study," the self-proclaimed psychology student said. "I went to jail on purpose to study. I came here on purpose. I waited for the police. I waited for the police on all my arrests. I went to jail on purpose, for 13 years of my life." "You went to prison on purpose?" asked an incredulous Hurley. "Incarceration improves your concentration abilities," came the reply.
Hurley then ordered Bontrager held on $1,000 bond on the trespass charge, but revoked bond on the open theft count, effectively keeping him behind bars. "I'm going to keep you in jail so you can further concentrate," he said. Bontrager was upset. "You're not gonna let me go?" he asked. "You're going to have plenty of time to concentrate on this case," the judge replied.
You can see video of Mr Bontrager's court appearance here or here.
Bontrager, 47, was at a first appearance hearing to answer a charge of trespassing, in which he was accused of trying doors at a Fort Lauderdale church. Bontrager, a defendant with a history of stealing and convictions dating back to 2001, and an open charge of felony theft pending, wanted to make one thing clear to County Judge John "Jay" Hurley.
"All my arrests were intentional, just to study," the self-proclaimed psychology student said. "I went to jail on purpose to study. I came here on purpose. I waited for the police. I waited for the police on all my arrests. I went to jail on purpose, for 13 years of my life." "You went to prison on purpose?" asked an incredulous Hurley. "Incarceration improves your concentration abilities," came the reply.
Hurley then ordered Bontrager held on $1,000 bond on the trespass charge, but revoked bond on the open theft count, effectively keeping him behind bars. "I'm going to keep you in jail so you can further concentrate," he said. Bontrager was upset. "You're not gonna let me go?" he asked. "You're going to have plenty of time to concentrate on this case," the judge replied.
You can see video of Mr Bontrager's court appearance here or here.
Manhunt underway for groundhog with history of attacking people
The Pontotoc County Sheriff's Department in Mississippi is hoping to catch a groundhog with a history of attacking people.
Sheriff Leo Mask says the latest incident happened on Sunday.
One woman says she was scratched on the leg during an attack on the porch of a home. The sheriff adds the animal then went inside and bit another woman.
One of the women, who did not want to be identified, said she went to a medical clinic for treatment of her injuries and was given a tetanus shot.
Mask says the investigation has turned up other people who say they have been attacked by the animal as well. He says deputies have set a trap in hopes of catching the groundhog.
One woman says she was scratched on the leg during an attack on the porch of a home. The sheriff adds the animal then went inside and bit another woman.
One of the women, who did not want to be identified, said she went to a medical clinic for treatment of her injuries and was given a tetanus shot.
Mask says the investigation has turned up other people who say they have been attacked by the animal as well. He says deputies have set a trap in hopes of catching the groundhog.
Zoo raccoons competed in clothes washing competition
Workers at Roev Ruchey Zoo in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, attempted to break up the monotonous day of two caged raccoons at the weekend, by giving them clothes "to wash".
The raccoons, Masha and Artem, were meant to compete with each other while the zoo's visitors acted as judges.
YouTube link.
The panel of judges took into account their enthusiasm, the desire of the animals to work and quality of washing.
After much deliberation, the result was declared a draw.
The raccoons, Masha and Artem, were meant to compete with each other while the zoo's visitors acted as judges.
YouTube link.
The panel of judges took into account their enthusiasm, the desire of the animals to work and quality of washing.
After much deliberation, the result was declared a draw.
Chinese nature reserve invests 5 million yuan building bridges for migrating macaques
A nature reserve in Central China's Henan Province is to spend 5 million yuan (£485,000, $815,000) on two cable bridges over a reservoir to allow macaque monkeys to migrate.
Jiyuan city is building the bridges over a reservoir on the Qinhe River especially for the migrating macaques. Experts said that it was the first of its kind for domestic wildlife protection. More than 3,000 macaques live in Jiyuan Macaque National Natural Reserve and at least 500 of them move between forests on both sides of the Qinhe River, a tributary of the Yellow River.
The Hekou Reservoir, key to flood control on the Qinhe and the lower reaches of the Yellow River, has cut off their route. The reservoir, spanning over 600 hectares on the Qinhe River, will submerge the four bridges currently in use and make it impossible for macaques to travel between the banks.
According to Wang Xiangdong, an official with the Taihang Mountain National Nature Reserve, each of the two hanging bridges, which are expected to open in October, will be more than 250 metres long and 10 metres above the water, allowing 150 macaques to cross at a time. Wang said animal keepers at the Wulongkou scenic area will invite the macaques for guided tours first to help them get familiar with the passages .
Jiyuan city is building the bridges over a reservoir on the Qinhe River especially for the migrating macaques. Experts said that it was the first of its kind for domestic wildlife protection. More than 3,000 macaques live in Jiyuan Macaque National Natural Reserve and at least 500 of them move between forests on both sides of the Qinhe River, a tributary of the Yellow River.
The Hekou Reservoir, key to flood control on the Qinhe and the lower reaches of the Yellow River, has cut off their route. The reservoir, spanning over 600 hectares on the Qinhe River, will submerge the four bridges currently in use and make it impossible for macaques to travel between the banks.
According to Wang Xiangdong, an official with the Taihang Mountain National Nature Reserve, each of the two hanging bridges, which are expected to open in October, will be more than 250 metres long and 10 metres above the water, allowing 150 macaques to cross at a time. Wang said animal keepers at the Wulongkou scenic area will invite the macaques for guided tours first to help them get familiar with the passages .
Pensioner who pulled gun in slot machine queue row had huge arsenal of weapons at home
A pensioner in northern Italy has been arrested after he allegedly stormed into a bar brandishing a .357 magnum handgun following a row over the queue for the slot machines.
The 73-year-old had reportedly had an argument on Saturday with customers at the bar in the town of Cilavegna, Pavia, over the queue to the slot machines. Apparently unable to resolve the dispute, the pensioner turned up at the bar the following day with a lust for vengeance and a Smith & Wesson 357 magnum revolver, a knuckle-duster and a flick-knife.
Police were called to the scene where they arrested the man, who has a clean record. No injuries were reported. But, as police discovered, the handgun was just the tip of the iceberg. When they inspected the man's home they uncovered a huge arsenal of weapons.
The pensioner's collection included a Stahl shotgun, a Franchi Para rifle, a Beretta semi-automatic shotgun, a silencer and around a hundred bullets. Two more guns found at the man's home, including a Beretta shotgun and a Breda rifle, had been registered. Police also found two bayonets, a sabre, two machetes and a samurai sword. The weapons have now been seized.
The 73-year-old had reportedly had an argument on Saturday with customers at the bar in the town of Cilavegna, Pavia, over the queue to the slot machines. Apparently unable to resolve the dispute, the pensioner turned up at the bar the following day with a lust for vengeance and a Smith & Wesson 357 magnum revolver, a knuckle-duster and a flick-knife.
Police were called to the scene where they arrested the man, who has a clean record. No injuries were reported. But, as police discovered, the handgun was just the tip of the iceberg. When they inspected the man's home they uncovered a huge arsenal of weapons.
The pensioner's collection included a Stahl shotgun, a Franchi Para rifle, a Beretta semi-automatic shotgun, a silencer and around a hundred bullets. Two more guns found at the man's home, including a Beretta shotgun and a Breda rifle, had been registered. Police also found two bayonets, a sabre, two machetes and a samurai sword. The weapons have now been seized.
Massive mince heist in New Zealand
A Christchurch butcher has fallen victim to a massive mince heist.
A man and a woman drove off with 100kg of beef mince from Westmeat meat suppliers after a new staff member loaded it into their car at about 3pm on Saturday.
The staff member thought the customer had paid for the haul. The theft was the latest in a string of thefts from Westmeat had suffered recently. Store manager Hayden Soper said the shop had been targeted by four organised criminals "virtually stealing to order" about four or five times, two months ago.
The thieves had made off with fillet steaks hidden beneath trenchcoats and in suitcases. But Soper suspected Saturday's theft was opportunist. He did not recognise the pair on the CCTV footage. "They didn't look rough", he said. The pair drove off with the loot in a grey late-model Subaru Impreza. Its registration was not visible on CCTV footage.
Soper wanted the image published so the pair could be identified and he could send them the bill. "Business is too hard to let 100kg of meat be taken from the store without paying for it," he said. The theft had been lodged with the police. A police communications centre spokesman said there did not appear to be any progress with the investigation.
The staff member thought the customer had paid for the haul. The theft was the latest in a string of thefts from Westmeat had suffered recently. Store manager Hayden Soper said the shop had been targeted by four organised criminals "virtually stealing to order" about four or five times, two months ago.
The thieves had made off with fillet steaks hidden beneath trenchcoats and in suitcases. But Soper suspected Saturday's theft was opportunist. He did not recognise the pair on the CCTV footage. "They didn't look rough", he said. The pair drove off with the loot in a grey late-model Subaru Impreza. Its registration was not visible on CCTV footage.
Soper wanted the image published so the pair could be identified and he could send them the bill. "Business is too hard to let 100kg of meat be taken from the store without paying for it," he said. The theft had been lodged with the police. A police communications centre spokesman said there did not appear to be any progress with the investigation.
Would-be chip shop thief armed with hammer battered by shovel-wielding worker
A masked would-be chip shop thief carrying a hammer as a weapon got an unexpected shock when staff fought back with a shovel. Two masked men pulled up on a motorbike to Gio’s chipper in Kingswood shopping centre in Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland, shortly before midnight last Sunday.
One stayed on the bike while the other entered the premises armed with a hammer and attempted to steal money from the till. Manager of Gio’s, Paolo Soaze, said that there were two girls at the front of the shop when it happened. “Two guys pulled up in a motorbike with balaclavas on and their hoods up. One stayed on the bike and one came into the shop.
“He came in and smacked the counter with the hammer demanding money. He was screaming ‘Come on, come on’ and he jumped over the counter. One of the girls screamed to the men who were down the back.” Two male workers were at the back of the chip shop scraping the freezer with a shovel.
“One of the men heard the screams and ran in with the shovel. As soon as [the robber] saw the shovel he took a step back and his whole body language changed. He hit him on the shoulder with the shovel and the thief ran off" Paolo said they called the gardai who are now investigating the incident.
One stayed on the bike while the other entered the premises armed with a hammer and attempted to steal money from the till. Manager of Gio’s, Paolo Soaze, said that there were two girls at the front of the shop when it happened. “Two guys pulled up in a motorbike with balaclavas on and their hoods up. One stayed on the bike and one came into the shop.
“He came in and smacked the counter with the hammer demanding money. He was screaming ‘Come on, come on’ and he jumped over the counter. One of the girls screamed to the men who were down the back.” Two male workers were at the back of the chip shop scraping the freezer with a shovel.
“One of the men heard the screams and ran in with the shovel. As soon as [the robber] saw the shovel he took a step back and his whole body language changed. He hit him on the shoulder with the shovel and the thief ran off" Paolo said they called the gardai who are now investigating the incident.
Woman called 999 to report that goose in cemetery looked hungry and had lost its friends
A woman called 999 asking police to rescue a goose which looked ‘hungry’ and had ‘lost its friends’.
The caller dialled the emergency number to tell officers she had spotted the lonely bird wandering around Blackley Cemetery in Manchester.
She said she feared the goose was in danger as it didn’t have any companions and looked like it needed feeding. The call was made at around 10.45am on Friday.
The woman didn’t leave her name but was told the goose’s welfare was not a police matter and the call was not an appropriate use of the 999 number. She was also advised to call the RSPCA if she believed the bird was injured.
The caller dialled the emergency number to tell officers she had spotted the lonely bird wandering around Blackley Cemetery in Manchester.
She said she feared the goose was in danger as it didn’t have any companions and looked like it needed feeding. The call was made at around 10.45am on Friday.
The woman didn’t leave her name but was told the goose’s welfare was not a police matter and the call was not an appropriate use of the 999 number. She was also advised to call the RSPCA if she believed the bird was injured.
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