Dateline: Florida Police in St. Petersburg say a man who tried to carjack an unmarked police car was “surprised” by two detectives, who arrested him. According to the Palm Beach Post, the two undercover detectives were sitting in the vehicle around 9:45pm on the night of Aug. 6 when 27-year-old Dominique Albert of Tampa Bay opened the door and brandished a steak knife. St. Petersburg Police spokesperson Mike Puetz said the detectives “announced themselves as police officers, drew their weapons, and he fled, dropping his knife in the process.” According to Puetz, the detectives were “startled, frankly.” Albert, who has a record of theft, was arrested at the scene after a short chase. He faces charges of carjacking and assaulting a law enforcement officer.Dateline: OhioPrison officials say a remote-controlled drone was used to drop a package full of drugs into the yard at the Mansfield Correctional Institution late last month, causing a fight among inmates. According to the Mansfield News Journal, the incident occurred at 2:23pm on July 29. A spokesperson for the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction confirmed to the paper that the unmanned aircraft flew over the north recreation yard at the prison and dropped a package containing 144.5 grams of tobacco, 65.4 grams of marijuana and 6.6 grams of heroin. This caused a small riot among the inmates as they fought over possession of the package. Corrections officers used pepper spray to break up the fight and ordered all inmates to get on the ground. It wasn’t until prison officials reviewed security camera footage that the drone and its cargo were spotted. The package was picked up in the north recreation yard and eventually tossed over a fence in the south recreation yard where it was recovered by prison staff. Inmates were strip searched and run through the cell sensor before being allowed back inside the prison. Dateline: KentuckyA Kentucky sheriff’s office has come up with a unique way to fight crime, asking local drug dealers to rat out their competition. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office posted a flyer on its Facebook page earlier this month. The flyer features the image of a marijuana leaf and reads, “Is your drug dealing competition costing you money? We offer a free service to help you eliminate your drug competition!” At the bottom of the post, people were asked to fill out information about the drug dealer they are reporting, including the dealer’s name and vehicle. The post was shared several hundred times. No word if the post has resulted in the arrest of any drug dealers.Dateline: ConnecticutEvidently, wet willies are illegal. The Hartford Courant reports a 34-year-old homeless man has been charged with second-degree breach of peace and second-degree reckless endangerment after he stuck his finger in his mouth and poked the ear canal of a 4-year-old child. Police in Shelton say the child was playing with his mother in the waiting room of a business on Center Street about 3pm on the afternoon of Aug. 3 when Michael Migani wet willied the kid. According to the paper, Migani was confronted by the child’s mother and staff at the business. He fled in a vehicle but was later stopped by police. Migani was released after posting $500 and is scheduled to appear in court later this month on the licking-and-sticking.Dateline: MichiganAn enterprising businessman allegedly tried to pass off a backpack full of dirty socks as a package of particularly pungent marijuana. The Daily Telegram reports 33-year-old Michael Suarez arranged to sell the backpack for $2,800 in the early morning hours of July 8. The drug deal was arranged by a friend of Suarez and took place at the Lee Villa mobile home park in Raisin Township. Suarez, from Ypsilanti, was pulled over by police after he blew past a stop sign outside the trailer park. As police were questioning him, a man pulled up and told the officer Suarez had just robbed his girlfriend. A purse containing $2,800 was found in the car. Suarez and two other people in the car were arrested. The other two people involved plead guilty to attempted possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Suarez pled guilty to false pretenses. “He brought socks instead of marijuana,” Suarez’ lawyer said in Lenawee County Circuit Court last week. “That’s the false pretenses.” As a habitual offender, Suarez could face as many as seven and a half years in prison. The $2,800 was impounded and is now subject to a civil drug seizure claim. So, presumably, is the bag full of dirty socks.
Compiled by Devin D. O'Leary. Email your weird news to devin@alibi.com.
