In Stenlille, Denmark, a vehicle fire also damaged a nearby house on Dec. 2, InShort reported. Firefighters arriving on the scene discovered that the owner was using a toaster under the front of the car to keep its EV battery warm. There were no injuries, but the car was heavily damaged, and the owner likely will have to pay a fine. In addition, the police issued a warning that using toasters in such a fashion is not a good idea.
Bad timing
A 62-year-old woman from Haslett, Mich., picked a poor time to dash through the self-checkout at Walmart with $700 worth of merchandise in her cart, WJRT-TV reported. On Dec. 2, as the store participated in a Shop With a Cop event, a clerk notified one of about 75 police officers on hand about the shoplifter. "I do have to say it surprised me," said Michigan State Police Lt. Rene Gonzalez. "When you see 75 cops in the store, I mean, I don't know if maybe they thought we were too busy." Police caught up with the alleged thief in the parking lot and arrested her.
Worse timing
Joshua James Pinquet, 21, of Orlando made a sudden decision on Nov. 28 to quit his job, Iredell Free News reported. As he was driving a van with four prison inmates locked in the cargo area, Pinquet contacted his boss at the inmate transport company and said he was done. Instead of delivering the inmates to their destination, he kept going. When sheriff's officers caught up with him, he was arrested and charged with second-degree kidnapping and larceny.
A geography lesson
Arnaldo Chamorro, chief of staff for Paraguay's Agriculture Ministry, lost his position on Nov. 29 after an embarrassing episode in which he signed a "proclamation" in October with the United States of Kailasa, Fox News reported. Trouble is, the USK doesn't exist. Chamorro admitted during a radio interview that he was not familiar with Kailasa but said he signed the agreement because the country offered to help Paraguay with a variety of issues, including irrigation. At least Chamorro isn't alone in his embarrassment. USK posers also have fooled the United Nations and Newark City Hall in New Jersey, which signed a sister city agreement with the country.
Animal antics
When a series of slashed tires started showing up in the southern Italian city of Vastogirardi, Deputy Mayor Remo Scocchera predicted that when the perpetrator was caught, it wouldn't be a person from the town of about 600 residents. And he was right — it wasn't a person at all. Undercover police had patrolled the streets, but had failed to find anyone demonstrating suspicious behavior. So they turned to surveillance cameras, and, sure enough, in late November they collared their suspect: a dog named Billy, who was suffering from a painful case of gingivitis. Billy's owner will have to pony up for the damaged tires — not to mention some dental work for his pet.
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