Sunday, September 28, 2014
Man accused of swapping stolen $160,000 diamond for one gram of marijuana
A United Parcel Service worker in Arizona who discovered a $160,000 diamond inside a package he stole inexplicably traded the valuable jewel for a bag of marijuana, Arizona investigators say.
Walter Earl Morrison, 20, allegedly took the package late last month while unloading a UPS cargo plane at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport.
Morrison, a ramp agent, stuffed the parcel under his shirt, according to a probable cause statement. Morrison later told police officers that he thought the package would contain cash “since it was being sent by Brink’s.” Instead, Morrison found a small cardboard box inside the UPS parcel. After placing the container down his shirt, Morrison went into a UPS restroom and opened the box, discovering it contained a diamond (which he then stuffed in his pocket).
During a police interrogation earlier this month, Morrison confessed to the theft, saying that he called a friend and swapped the diamond “in exchange for one gram of marijuana.” A gram of marijuana retails for about $20. The diamond was subsequently recovered by Phoenix police. Morrison was arrested on September 16 on a felony theft charge. A Maricopa County grand jury indicted him on Monday on the same charge.
Now locked up in the county jail, Morrison is scheduled for arraignment on October 1. Morrison, who lives with his grandmother, has been fired by UPS. During police questioning, “Walter admitted he made a mistake,” according to court records. While this mistake is not further described, Morrison was apparently referring to the theft of the parcel, not his sale of a $160,000 diamond for a small amount of marijuana.
There's a news video here.
Morrison, a ramp agent, stuffed the parcel under his shirt, according to a probable cause statement. Morrison later told police officers that he thought the package would contain cash “since it was being sent by Brink’s.” Instead, Morrison found a small cardboard box inside the UPS parcel. After placing the container down his shirt, Morrison went into a UPS restroom and opened the box, discovering it contained a diamond (which he then stuffed in his pocket).
During a police interrogation earlier this month, Morrison confessed to the theft, saying that he called a friend and swapped the diamond “in exchange for one gram of marijuana.” A gram of marijuana retails for about $20. The diamond was subsequently recovered by Phoenix police. Morrison was arrested on September 16 on a felony theft charge. A Maricopa County grand jury indicted him on Monday on the same charge.
Now locked up in the county jail, Morrison is scheduled for arraignment on October 1. Morrison, who lives with his grandmother, has been fired by UPS. During police questioning, “Walter admitted he made a mistake,” according to court records. While this mistake is not further described, Morrison was apparently referring to the theft of the parcel, not his sale of a $160,000 diamond for a small amount of marijuana.
There's a news video here.
Firefighters used oxygen to revive hamsters rescued from burning home
Firefighters were forced to dig through their "Pet emergency pocket guide" on Friday afternoon when they rescued a family of hamsters from a burning mobile home in Lacey, Washington.
The crews made quick work of the fire, but their day of heroics was just beginning. While battling the fire, firefighters spotted a family of hamsters inside the burning building.
They grabbed the five rodents - later identified as Oreo, Madonna and three unnamed babies - and brought them outside to safety. Using the knowledge gleaned from their "Pet emergency pocket guide," firefighters treated the injured hamsters with oxygen and other first aid equipment. Tim Hulse with the Lacey Fire Department said the team was able to save all but one of the hamsters.
"Yes. Our crews are trained and specially equipped to care for animals that have been rescued from a house fire," Lacey Fire Department officials said following the rescue. Nobody was inside when the fire started and no firefighters were injured, Hulse said. A preliminary investigation indicates the fire started in the clothes dryer in the laundry room, according to the fire department.
The crews made quick work of the fire, but their day of heroics was just beginning. While battling the fire, firefighters spotted a family of hamsters inside the burning building.
They grabbed the five rodents - later identified as Oreo, Madonna and three unnamed babies - and brought them outside to safety. Using the knowledge gleaned from their "Pet emergency pocket guide," firefighters treated the injured hamsters with oxygen and other first aid equipment. Tim Hulse with the Lacey Fire Department said the team was able to save all but one of the hamsters.
"Yes. Our crews are trained and specially equipped to care for animals that have been rescued from a house fire," Lacey Fire Department officials said following the rescue. Nobody was inside when the fire started and no firefighters were injured, Hulse said. A preliminary investigation indicates the fire started in the clothes dryer in the laundry room, according to the fire department.
Mystery of mummified human toe found outside post office
Part of a human toe was found outside the post office in Beverley, Western Australia, on Friday morning.
A staff member was sweeping the verandah when they spotted the toe that had become mummified with age.
Police say at this stage there is no evidence of suspicious or criminal activity linked to the appendage.
Anyone with any information can call Crime Stoppers.
A staff member was sweeping the verandah when they spotted the toe that had become mummified with age.
Police say at this stage there is no evidence of suspicious or criminal activity linked to the appendage.
Anyone with any information can call Crime Stoppers.
Dog rescued from drain
A curious Labrador stuck in a storm water drain for almost three hours has been rescued by firefighters in Melbourne, Australia.
Three-year-old Bronson was on his daily walk at an off-leash park at Mernda on Friday afternoon when he decided to embark on an underground adventure.
His owner Merrilyn Thorpe said: "I just saw him there barking and I kept whistling. He's a trained dog to come to the whistle, and I knew he was trapped because he always comes to the whistle." It wasn't easy to convince the curious canine to come out. He ventured further into the drain, and became stuck 20 metres underground.
A specialist rescue team was called in to help. More than 20 Country Fire Authority and Metropolitan Fire Brigade members used ropes to lift Bronson to safety. Operations officer Steve Pitcher saying it took almost three hours to bring a muddy but happy Bronson to the surface. Mr Pitcher said the rescue was a team effort between Mernda, Doreen and Dandenong CFA members with support from the MFB.
YouTube link.
He said a Dandenong firefighter used a skateboard - which a boy kindly handed over - to push himself into the half-metre diameter drain. “It was a confined space rescue using rope lines and atmospheric monitoring equipment,” Mr Pitcher said. “(The firefighter) retrieved the dog and was pulled back up by the ropes.” Bronson didn’t suffer any injuries but was taken to the vets as a precaution.
His owner Merrilyn Thorpe said: "I just saw him there barking and I kept whistling. He's a trained dog to come to the whistle, and I knew he was trapped because he always comes to the whistle." It wasn't easy to convince the curious canine to come out. He ventured further into the drain, and became stuck 20 metres underground.
A specialist rescue team was called in to help. More than 20 Country Fire Authority and Metropolitan Fire Brigade members used ropes to lift Bronson to safety. Operations officer Steve Pitcher saying it took almost three hours to bring a muddy but happy Bronson to the surface. Mr Pitcher said the rescue was a team effort between Mernda, Doreen and Dandenong CFA members with support from the MFB.
YouTube link.
He said a Dandenong firefighter used a skateboard - which a boy kindly handed over - to push himself into the half-metre diameter drain. “It was a confined space rescue using rope lines and atmospheric monitoring equipment,” Mr Pitcher said. “(The firefighter) retrieved the dog and was pulled back up by the ropes.” Bronson didn’t suffer any injuries but was taken to the vets as a precaution.
Vanishing spray deemed too dangerous for Germany’s Bundesliga
The vanishing spray used by referees at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil to mark where players should stand at free-kicks has been outlawed in Germany.
Germany’s Bundesliga was meant to follow the example of the English Premier League and introduce the foam at the end of October. But trading standards watchdog TÜV has hampered the move, saying it should not be allowed in the country. “In its current form the product cannot be used in Germany,” TÜV said.
They argue it could have negative health effects as the green house gas levels in the spray are 33 percent which are “far higher” than the allowed amount. The Argentinean product also doesn’t have a flammable warning on the spray can and no indication of volume, therefore doesn’t meet regulations, Greta Dau from TÜV said.
A spokesman for TÜV described the details on the can as “lacking, incomplete and not in German”. The German Football Association said it would now look at alternative products to the Argentinean vanishing spray. The foam was meant to debut on October 17th for the first time in the Bundesliga. If it is used without the TÜV’s approval referees could be fined.
Germany’s Bundesliga was meant to follow the example of the English Premier League and introduce the foam at the end of October. But trading standards watchdog TÜV has hampered the move, saying it should not be allowed in the country. “In its current form the product cannot be used in Germany,” TÜV said.
They argue it could have negative health effects as the green house gas levels in the spray are 33 percent which are “far higher” than the allowed amount. The Argentinean product also doesn’t have a flammable warning on the spray can and no indication of volume, therefore doesn’t meet regulations, Greta Dau from TÜV said.
A spokesman for TÜV described the details on the can as “lacking, incomplete and not in German”. The German Football Association said it would now look at alternative products to the Argentinean vanishing spray. The foam was meant to debut on October 17th for the first time in the Bundesliga. If it is used without the TÜV’s approval referees could be fined.
Spanish village swaps bulls for giant polystyrene balls
Residents of a Madrid village have changed their annual running of the bulls to a similar event with giant 125-kilo (275 pounds) polystyrene balls, a move animal rights groups are hoping will be copied in other parts of Spain.
Mataelpino, a small community of no more than 1,700 residents just outside the Spanish capital, is the first place in the country to hold a ‘running of the balls’.
Dubbed boloencierro, a made-up up term which combines the Spanish words for bowling ball and running of the bulls, the event sees participants being ‘chased’ down the sloping streets of Mataelpino by huge polystyrene balls rolling at great speed. Mataelpino has seen a rise in tourism numbers as a result and has also inspired animal rights group Peta to promote the swap around Spain.
“After bull runs the animals are tortured and killed in the bullring,” Peta president Mimi Bekhechi said. “People are also gored or trampled to death. Boloencierro is fun, for all the family and a great alternative for the growing number of people who oppose bullfighting and bull runs.” Peta is so impressed by the potential of ‘ball running’ that they’ve offered to pay the costs of holding the events to any town in Spain willing to ditch their traditional events with bulls.
YouTube link.
Although Pamplona’s San Fermin bull runs are the most famous internationally, there are many towns and villages in Spain, Portugal and some parts of South America that have their own ‘encierros’. Some have no official age limit and injuries and casualties are not uncommon. There is growing opposition within Spain to sports events and festivals involving bulls.
Dubbed boloencierro, a made-up up term which combines the Spanish words for bowling ball and running of the bulls, the event sees participants being ‘chased’ down the sloping streets of Mataelpino by huge polystyrene balls rolling at great speed. Mataelpino has seen a rise in tourism numbers as a result and has also inspired animal rights group Peta to promote the swap around Spain.
“After bull runs the animals are tortured and killed in the bullring,” Peta president Mimi Bekhechi said. “People are also gored or trampled to death. Boloencierro is fun, for all the family and a great alternative for the growing number of people who oppose bullfighting and bull runs.” Peta is so impressed by the potential of ‘ball running’ that they’ve offered to pay the costs of holding the events to any town in Spain willing to ditch their traditional events with bulls.
YouTube link.
Although Pamplona’s San Fermin bull runs are the most famous internationally, there are many towns and villages in Spain, Portugal and some parts of South America that have their own ‘encierros’. Some have no official age limit and injuries and casualties are not uncommon. There is growing opposition within Spain to sports events and festivals involving bulls.
Good Samaritans accidentally impaled car on traffic bollard
A car that was tipped on its side after a crash ended up impaled on a bollard after a team of good Samaritans tried to turn it back over.
The Nissan Pixo Tekna became lodged on the metal post at around 11.30am on Friday following a crash in Poole, Dorset.
The vehicle had initially clipped the pavement and rolled onto its side before reaching its haphazard resting place after passers-by heaved it onto the bollard. Eyewitness Thom Stroud said he was driving on the road when he saw the car, which was occupied by two elderly females, hit the pavement and flip onto its driver side.
“I thought 'what the hell was that?'” he said. “A few cars stopped and I, along with some others, got out of our cars and ran over to help. There was someone on the phone calling an ambulance and I could hear the women inside the car yelling and screaming. Four or five of us tried to push it back onto its four wheels but instead it somehow got caught on the bollard on its way back down.”
Dorset Police attended the scene, where officers helped control traffic and remained while recovery workers attempted to remove the car from the bollard. The two women were checked by paramedics at the scene but had not sustained any injuries and were not taken to hospital.
The vehicle had initially clipped the pavement and rolled onto its side before reaching its haphazard resting place after passers-by heaved it onto the bollard. Eyewitness Thom Stroud said he was driving on the road when he saw the car, which was occupied by two elderly females, hit the pavement and flip onto its driver side.
“I thought 'what the hell was that?'” he said. “A few cars stopped and I, along with some others, got out of our cars and ran over to help. There was someone on the phone calling an ambulance and I could hear the women inside the car yelling and screaming. Four or five of us tried to push it back onto its four wheels but instead it somehow got caught on the bollard on its way back down.”
Dorset Police attended the scene, where officers helped control traffic and remained while recovery workers attempted to remove the car from the bollard. The two women were checked by paramedics at the scene but had not sustained any injuries and were not taken to hospital.
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