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Sex toys and stuffed animals were among the most unusual objects targeted by light-fingered hotel guests this year, according to research by Telegraph Travel. Light fittings, televisions and bed linen have also been stolen from British establishments in 2009, proving that toiletries and towels are not the only items coveted by some hotel guests. Staff at Birmingham’s Hotel du Vin revealed how one inebriated would-be thief was caught attempting to remove the stuffed head of a wild boar, which had previously been mounted in the billiard room. “He was rather embarrassed and worse-for-wear,” said Adam Thompson, a manager at the hotel. “A few weeks later some of his friends came back and bought the object from us as a wedding present for him – we donated the money to charity.” The Residence in Bath, formerly a boutique hotel and now self-catering apartments, reported another unusual item that often went missing. “Beyond the usual things, such as shampoos and bath towels, the most frequently stolen items were our sex toys,” said a member of staff at the Residence, which once offered kinky accessories - at a price - to adventurous travellers. “I would call them up to explain that they had been caught taking them without paying,” she added. “A pregnant pause would inevitably follow.” Staff at another hotel in Bath recalled that a guest had stolen one of the light fittings in the floor, while one former Forte Posthouse hotel reported that a couple had stolen all the almost the entire contents of their room, including the carpet, curtains, kettle, bedding and even the toilet seat. They had allegedly parked their car underneath the room’s ground floor window and passed the items through. Even the glamour-free world of Travelodge is not immune to passing kleptomaniacs. A survey by the budget hotel chain revealed that their towels, drinking glasses, bathrobes and ornaments are their most frequently stolen objects. In a poll carried out by Telegraph Travel, 37 per cent of respondents admitted having taken something from their hotel room. Source
Japanese gangsters are facing an obstacle that can’t be beaten with a nunchaku – a pen and paper exam. Spotted within the Yamaguchi-gumi syndicate, this Q&A session involved a 12 question paper that tested faction members’ knowledge of gangster lore. One such question asked for a comprehensive list of taboo activities. The correct answer, as specified on the sample paper, included con jobs involving phones, stealing costly motor vehicles and disposal of industrial waste. Furthermore, the paper stressed that all gang-related activities had to be approved by the big bosses. This exam paraphernalia was uncovered by police when they were investigating a crime-related instance involving the Yamaguchi-gumi gang in Shiga Prefecture . This particular group has a strong presence in Japan with its 40 000 members and thus, has adopted this unconventional method in order to save money. Recent changes to the anti-organized crime law ensured that crime bosses could be fined over the illegal actions of their respective minions. Such minion actions could be anything from a shoot-out in a street to a bloody bar fight. In addition to legal moves, civil action by concerned citizens against crime syndicates were becoming increasingly common and have might have contributed to the creation of this exam paper. One such example was the efforts of Akasaka residents where they won a court appeal to exclude the Inagawa-kai gang from their neighborhood. Source
Dave Mackie is running an online Sudoku competition where his luxury home in Lancashire will be given away as a prize. He has already received thousands of entries around the world, but will let his 'koi' pick the winner from the correct entries. The insurance broker and puzzle fan plans to install a touch sensitive pad in the pond and when the fish touch it one of the 14,000 entries will be selected. He hopes this will mean the fish select someone who will look after them when he moves out- though given it is random they are just as likely to end up with a cat lover. Dave said: "As well as being beautiful and majestic creatures, koi have an aura about them and are very perceptive and sensitive to what is going on around them. "They are the ideal symbols of love and friendship and I have no doubt they will pick the right winner someone who will get on with the neighbours and someone who will look after the fish themselves." Once they've paid a GBP50 entry fee, entrants complete an online Sudoku puzzle to receive a place in the prize competition to win the stylish detached home, complete with sauna and steam room, on Lancashire's picturesque Fylde coast. Puzzle fanatic Dave, a director of an insurance broker, has proved that what he is doing complies with UK law as it is a prize competition relying on people's skill to crack the Sudoku and not gambling. Dave, 49, explained: "I think a 14,000-1 chance of winning this house is a great opportunity for someone." The contest will run up to Feb 1, 2010 or until Dave has 14,000 entrants. Source
A cult leader in Papua New Guinea fled naked into the jungle after being confronted by police over allegations that he'd forced followers to have sex in public, with the promise that it would boost the banana harvest. The man, identified as Thomas Peli, told his followers that the banana harvest would increase every time they had sex in public, according to the Parpua New Guinea Post-Courier - and he reinforced his demands for public fornication with threats of violence. Police only heard about Peli's activities in the remote village of Yamina when a villager trekked for 12 hours to reach the nearest town and alert authorities. The enforced public sex has been going on for three or four months, according to witnesses. Several times, naked people have been seen trying to enter a nearby mining area, but have been stopped because of a policy against allowing naked people to walk round the mine. When three police officers contacted Peli at his house, the cult leader emerged naked, and fled into the bush with seven of his followers - using two of his wives as human shields when the police fired warning shots. Police retreated in order to avoid a confrontation, but will return with reinforcements to comb the nearby hills for the cult leader and his followers. Source
THIEVES have used a semi-trailer to remove almost $600,000 worth of vodka from a business in Sydney's west, police said today. More than 17,400 bottles of vodka were taken from the Parramatta Road, Lidcombe business when three men drove onto the premises about 1am (AEST) on Sunday and removed a shipping container holding the bottles. Police believe the offenders then drove the truck through a rear fence onto the M4 before fleeing the scene in a westerly direction. The semi-trailer was later found abandoned on Camden Valley Way, Prestons. Source Have any interesting articles you'd like to share? Article Request Thread.
JOLIET,IL -- The cops found a pair of large pot plants growing in the back yard of a Twin Falls Drive residence last week, but the man of the house explained he was only growing them to train his dog, police said. Not only that, the police say, when asked about the marijuana flourishing in his backyard, the man claimed to possess a "controlled substance license." Officers first showed up at the 31-year-old man's home shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday after they learned of the alleged horticultural goings on from an unidentified tipster. An officer peering into the yard spotted a marijuana plant growing behind a shed, according to a police report. He then spoke with a 33-year-old woman who lives at the residence, the report said, and she permitted officers to enter the back yard. Once inside, a police sergeant performed a field test on the plant that revealed it was indeed cannabis, police said. The officers then reportedly found a second plant growing in the yard, and a third one that was dead and lying on the ground by the live ones. The two healthy plants were being cultivated on metal supports and were attached to the supports with plastic zip-ties, police said. The police say they were granted permission to search the inside of the house. The results of this search were not reported. The officers then reportedly called the woman's husband on his mobile phone to inquire about the pot plants growing in his back yard. The husband "advised that he had a controlled substance license and was growing the cannabis to train his dog," according to a police report. Reached Sunday, the man initially denied having such a license. He did say he was training his dog to detect drugs, but then quickly added that he could not discuss the matter involving the police until he learned more about the situation. "I can't answer anything right now, the man said. "I don't know what's going on." Source
Let’s face it. Underwear is one thing we never think of recycling, yet a new trend has started in Japan that may soon gain support (no pun intended) with the rest of the world, namely, recycling bras into solid fuel. The unbelievable result of an eco-campaign hosted by Wacoal, Japan’s leading manufacturer of ladies’ underwear, is a collection of bras weighing approximately 3.59 tons, the length of which, if hooked together, would be three times the height of Mt Everest! “From February through April we distributed bags at our retail stores for customers to use to bring in unwanted bras. We received 350 bags, and based on the average weight of one brassiere, we have collected about 35,900 pieces,” says the company’s public relations department. A competing company known as Triumph, is following the lead of its rival and in a transparent effort to “one-up it” and show the donor some appreciation, gives out 50-yen postage stamps per bag of bras. The bras are recycled into solid fuel, that knows not of different cup sizes and out-dated designs. Psychologically, some behavioral secrets have been tapped by a study conducted by Wacoal. It seems that for whatever reason, 61% of women hesitate when it comes to throwing away all old bras. (It may have to do with the fact that often when they are discarded, it’s not because they are dirty or unsuitable for wear; perhaps only out of style.). Many women in the study said that they would not like to see other women wearing their discarded underwear. In areas where the use of translucent bags for garbage collection is mandatory, women who don’t want others to see what they are doing for whatever reason feel they have to literally cut up the bras into small fragments. Most customers involved in this special recycling program were women who fell into the 20s to 30s age range. Both manufacturers took extra care in ensuring that only retail store personnel received the bags, handing them over to the processing section sealed and unopened. The trend of recycling bras has caught on both in Britain and in the United States. The bras are now being used for purposes other than fuel; namely both as revamped bras and also as unusual purses. One textile recycling company in Arizona, Bosom Buddy Recycling specializes in recycling bras and providing deserving women with a basic lingerie staple. “We are creating awareness about delaying the number of re-usable textiles, such as bras that are unnecessarily being sent to landfills and could be used for women and girls in our communities who are experiencing challenges in their lives. We are using simple encouragements to develop, blossom, and renew positive attitudes and self-esteem,” said an organization spokesperson.” Heads up, and bra-recycling programs everywhere: “May your cups always runneth over!” Source
TWO people have been charged after they were allegedly caught having sex in a four-wheel-drive at a Northern Territory service station. The Northern Territory News reports the driver was drunk and the vehicle was stolen. Police said they arrested the couple at the Adelaide River BP after spotting them having sex in the passenger seat of the car while pulled up at the petrol bowser. Officers allegedly asked the couple to "stop what they were doing", and noticed the pair seemed to be intoxicated. Police then reviewed video footage to see who had been driving the car. The driver was breath-tested and returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.179 per cent. Police said the Toyota Landcruiser in which they shared their tryst had earlier been stolen from a house at Jabiru. The driver was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, high range drink driving and unlicensed driving. Both occupants were charged with indecent behaviour in a public place. Source
NEW YORK, Sept. 13 -- The Transportation Security Administration says it has seized 123,189 items from passengers at three New York-area airports, including a baby alligator. The New York Post said Sunday also among the tens of thousands of prohibited items seized since January at the three local airports was a 6-foot-long African spear and a gassed-up chainsaw. The federal agency said other items that passengers were not allowed to board flights with include unwashed adult toys, 10-point deer antlers and even a kitchen sink. The unidentified passenger caught attempting to travel from New York to Puerto Rico with a baby alligator had the live animal strapped to his thigh in an attempt to fool airport officials. Meanwhile, a total of 122 passengers were stopped at Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport since January for attempting to board flights with ammunition and gunpowder. The Post said the three airports also account for nearly 450 pounds worth of abandoned goods each month. Source
A former Franklin County deputy who was fired for feeding a jail prisoner a tainted sandwich agreed to a plea deal yesterday that places him on probation for five years. Joseph M. Cantwell, 38, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor health-code violations for giving Joseph Copeland a bologna sandwich that had been rubbed against another prisoner's penis. In exchange for the guilty pleas, City Prosecutor Lara Baker dropped charges of dereliction of duty and disorderly conduct. Baker called Cantwell's behavior "grossly inappropriate" for a jail deputy. But Cantwell lost his job and had no previous criminal record, she said. Franklin County Municipal Judge Harland H. Hale fined Cantwell $500 but suspended a 90-day jail sentence, provided that he complete his probation. Cantwell, of Park Point Lane in Lewis Center in Delaware County, and another deputy, Phillip Barnett, photographed the sandwich incident in the Downtown jail. Both were fired by Sheriff Jim Karnes in May. Barnett was not charged with a crime. Copeland and two other prisoners have sued the county. "I'm really heartfelt sorry for the shame and embarrassment I caused (to) everyone linked to this incident, especially my fellow deputies and the sheriff," Cantwell said. Defense attorney Jonathan Tyack said Cantwell has not found another job. The incident "was blown out of proportion and it was a prank, but I also understand why people are upset," Tyack said. "No one was asking for jail time." Source
