Friday, July 17, 2009

More news you can't use

BMW not hot enough, so it was set on fire

FREEPORT (AP) — Most drivers who don't like their car either trade it in or sell it.

Police on New York's Long Island say a teenager set his BMW on fire "simply because he hated the car." Nassau County police didn't offer additional details on the alleged motive.

Police say a surveillance camera recorded the 18-year-old torching the 1992 BMW on July 10. At the time, it was parked about 2½ feet feet from his apartment building.

The defendant was awaiting a court appearance Friday in First District Court in Hempstead. The charges include arson and reckless endangerment.

I love you so much I'm going to steal $11 million

DENVER (AP) — A former Colorado Department of Revenue supervisor says love for her ex-boyfriend led her to steal $11 million in unclaimed tax refunds from the state.

The ex-boyfriend, Hysear Randell, is on trial in Denver this week on charges of theft, forgery, computer crime and racketeering.

On Wednesday, Michelle Cawthra testified that she deposited unclaimed tax refunds and other money in Randell's bank accounts over two years by forging documents and creating fake businesses. She said she frequently used computer passwords of other workers so she wouldn't be detected.

"I did things I don't think I otherwise would have done had I not been in love with him," she testified.


Give me your stuff! And, oh, yeah, I'm sorry

RAHWAY, New Jersey (AP) — Police in central New Jersey say they arrested a man on burglary charges after he returned to the victim's house to apologize.

Rahway police arrested 35-year-old Craig Fletcher on Wednesday shortly after the homeowner told them a man had just rung his doorbell, apologized for the break-in and run off on foot.

The homeowner said he interrupted the June 29 burglary. He chased the burglar, who had stuffed three laptops and an Xbox game console into a backpack. The intruder threw the bag down and got away.

Fletcher was also charged with a second burglary in the same neighborhood.

He was taken to the Union County Jail in lieu of $60,000 bail. Police did not know whether he had a lawyer.