Dumb criminal of the day, maybe month

[seamusTX]

In Carroll, Iowa (middle of nowhere), October 23, two men tried to break into an occupied apartment. The resident called the police, and the men apparently fled when they realized someone was home.

The criminal masterminds had tried to disguise themselves by scribbling on their faces with permanent markers.

They were arrested and charged with attempted burglary.

Mug shots: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... QD9BK9FJ80" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Money quote: "The men ... were 'being dumb, and combine that with alcohol, and it was the perfect storm,' [the] police chief said.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/185 ... 01.article" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[srothstein]

Here is a Texas case of stupid criminal:

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/g ... allet.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dropped wallet led TX police to robbery suspect

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio police got some help in arresting an eighteen-year-old robbery after he dropped his wallet near the scene of the alleged crime.

An arrest affidavit says Michael Kern was one of three men who attempted to rob a man at knifepoint Oct. 24 at an apartment complex.

A man said he was walking his dog when Kern and two others approached and one of them pulled a knife on the victim, who started running.

Authorities found Kern's wallet on the ground after the Oct. 24 incident. The victim saw the photo and identified Kern who was arrested Wednesday. He was charged with aggravated robbery and was being held Saturday at the Bexar (BAYR) County Jail with bail set for $50,000. State officials had no details on whether he had an attorney.

[DoubleJ]

Monday, October 26, 2009 - Page updated at 02:44 PM

Permission to reprint or copy this article or photo, other than personal use, must be obtained from The Seattle Times. Call 206-464-3113 or e-mail resale@seattletimes.com with your request.

Seattle police foil bank robbery in progress
John de Leon

Seattle police this afternoon disrupted a bank robbery in progress. We'll post a story shortly, but in the meantime here's the Seattle PD's news release on the incident:

On October 26th at approximately 11:55 a.m. a Seattle Police Captain in full uniform was inside a bank at 5th Avenue and Columbia Street conducting a business transaction when a teller notified him that a subject inside the bank appeared to be attempting to rob the bank. The captain approached the suspect and ordered him to stop and show his hands. The suspect disregarded the police commands and walked away toward the exit door. The captain again ordered the suspect to stop and show his hands. The suspect continued to disregard the police commands and walked outside to a waiting taxicab that had its passenger-side rear door open.


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The suspect got into the taxi. There was an adult female already in the rear seat of the taxi. The captain approached the taxi and ordered everyone inside the taxi to stop and show their hands. At that point the suspect threatened the taxi driver, telling him to drive away or physical harm would be visited upon him. The taxi driver jumped out of the taxi and ran away. The male suspect got out of the back seat of the taxi and got into the driver's seat of the taxi. Even though the taxi's engine was running, the suspect was unable to get the car into gear to drive away. While all of this was going on the captain was continuing to order both suspects to stop what they were doing and to show their hands, an order they continually disregarded. The male suspect then exited the vehicle and ran away carrying a dirty pink backpack.

The female suspect stayed in the back seat of the taxi with a purple backpack sitting next to her. She continued to disregard the captain's orders to show her hands. SWAT team officers were on patrol and responded to the scene, in addition to police negotiators. After the negotiators were unable to gain any compliance from the suspect, SWAT officers fired a less-lethal projectile through the rear window of the taxi. The female suspect surrendered shortly thereafter and was taken into custody without further incident. She was turned over to Robbery detectives who escorted her to police headquarters for questioning.

The male suspect remains at large. He is described as a black male, 6′2″ to 6â, 250 lbs, 35 to 40 years of age, wearing all black clothing and carrying a dirty pink backpack.

Nobody was injured during the course of the incident. Robbery detectives continue to actively investigate.

Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company

[DoubleJ]

just a note of interest about the previous story: I first heard of this story while standing in the seattle police department headquarters getting my fingerprints done for my med license. the lady taking my fingerprints says to me, "You just missed all the excitement!"
apparently, the bank robbery was NEXT DOOR to the SEATTLE POLICE HEADQUARTERS, about an hour before I got there! so yeah, I coulda been squaw in the middle of a bank robbery. turns out, as soon as the "call" came in, that HQ was, well, busy

just another "always carry" moment...

[wheelgun1958]

I wonder what his nickname will be in prison.

Doubletap!

[StewNTexas]

It would appear that the 'Police Captain' could use a bit of retraining. Maybe start carrying his sidearm too.

Have the police been hamstringed so bad in Seattle that this could happen under normal circumstances?

[C-dub]

It would appear that the 'Police Captain' could use a bit of retraining. Maybe start carrying his sidearm too.

Have the police been hamstringed so bad in Seattle that this could happen under normal circumstances?

I'm trying to figure out which one is dumber here. The robber or the police captain? If he was in FULL uniform, wouldn't he have had his weapon?

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Toledo, Washington

From October 29, 2009 KOMO-TV:

TOLEDO, Wash. -- A local homeowner shot and killed an intruder in what the Lewis County sheriff says was a justified shooting.

Sheriff Steve Mansfield said the 62-year-old resident was awakened around 10:40 p.m. Tuesday by the sound of someone breaking into his home.

“He (homeowner) heard some noise, got up, thought he saw some shadows,” the sheriff said. “He armed himself and started to look around. And all of a sudden there’s someone right there in his house, coming toward him up the stairway in his house.”

The homeowner twice told the intruder to "freeze," and when he didn't comply, fired one shot, Mansfield said. The intruder was pronounced dead at the scene. He was later identified as 45-year-old Mark Michels by the Lewis County Coroner's Office.

The sheriff said detectives are reviewing evidence to ensure they corroborate the homeowner's story. However, he said initial findings indicate the homeowner was acting in self defense when he shot the intruder.

...

Mark Michels had a criminal history that included robbery and grand theft. He also had a former boss who never gave up on him.

Terry Hanson said when Michels boasted he could rob a bank, he tried to right his thinking.

“I said, ‘Hey, that’s a real smart thing and you’ll be right back where you came from -- in prison.'" he said. "Apparently, that’s exactly what he did. Went out and broke into someone’s house and paid the price for it."

SIA

[seamusTX]

In Appleton, Wisconsin, this week, a man tried to carry out a drive-by shooting on the house of his former girlfriend.

Unfortunately, he forgot to roll down the car window before he started shooting.

He was charged with four counts of first- degree reckless endangerment, four counts of endangering safety by reckless use of a firearm, disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property.

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/200 ... ocated=rss" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[DoubleJ]

It would appear that the 'Police Captain' could use a bit of retraining. Maybe start carrying his sidearm too.

Have the police been hamstringed so bad in Seattle that this could happen under normal circumstances?

I'm trying to figure out which one is dumber here. The robber or the police captain? If he was in FULL uniform, wouldn't he have had his weapon?

forgive me, I am missing the part where it said the Capt was unarmed.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... QD9BSUI5G3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tyler, Texas.
A man who wanted a fast response from Tyler PD told 911 that he had just committed
a murder and had a weapon.

It was a ruse. He told responding officers he just said that to get a quicker response from
them for a simple assault call.

Their response was to immediately arrest him for filing a false report.

Brain surgeon no doubt.

SIA

[chabouk]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... QD9BSUI5G3

Tyler, Texas.
A man who wanted a fast response from Tyler PD told 911 that he had just committed
a murder and had a weapon.

It was a ruse. He told responding officers he just said that to get a quicker response from
them for a simple assault call.

Their response was to immediately arrest him for filing a false report.

Brain surgeon no doubt.

SIA

This sounds like the joke that has made the internet rounds over and over, and someone tried to apply in real life:

(Short version!):
"Hello, 9-1-1, someone is breaking into my storage building."
"Okay, we'll have a deputy there as soon as possible."
"How soon?"
"Expected response time is 30-45 minutes."
"Never mind, I shot them. Send the coroner instead".
*(Five minutes later, after three units screech up Code 3)* "I thought you said you shot them!"
"I thought you said you couldn't be here for 30 minutes!"

[seamusTX]

In Brownsville, yesterday, one Anthony Carrazco allegedly went door-to-door selling marijuana. The scheme went perfectly until he knocked on the door of the home of a police officer.

He also allegedly possessed a handgun and was intoxicated at the time.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... wD9C1L6UO0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Video: " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[surprise_i'm_armed]

http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article/rr ... rong_house" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Idiots. Sheesh.

SIA

[seamusTX]

Then there's this lunatic, tried to blow up the plane that he was on, set himself on fire:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and- ... 7849.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and- ... 1961.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- JIm