UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Dog groomer busted for thefts

CHICAGO, Ill., Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Police said a Chicago dog care driver was charged in a string of thefts after she wore a jacket stolen from a client on a trip to the client's house.

If convicted, Jillian Robertson, 21, could face up to 364 days in jail for each of five misdemeanor charges stemming from the thefts of thousands of dollars in property, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday.

Police Sgt. Brian Rypka said Robertson confessed to stealing property including the jacket, an iPod and four digital cameras. Police said at a news conference Sunday a laptop computer and a video camera belonging to clients were also found in Robertson's possession.

Authorities said Robertson took the items from the homes of their owners while working as a driver and groomer for Tucker Pups Dog Activity Center.

Joel Spainhour, owner of Tucker Pups, said he phoned police after contacting several of Robertson's clients. He said the owner of the iPod had suspected Robertson in the theft and he contacted other clients, including the owner of the jacket.

Big muscles prompt drug test for steroids

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- A Stockholm, Sweden, police officer forced a muscular man to take a drug test, claiming his "abnormal" muscle mass implied steroid use.

Tomislav Boduljak said he and a friend were speaking to a female police officer and her initially friendly demeanor changed when he mentioned his workout habits, The Local reported Monday.

"I asked if she didn't think it possible that I work out a lot and eat well. She said that if someone looks like me, she assumes they have taken drugs," he said.

The officer said in her report that Boduljak had "unusually large muscles, particularly large arm muscles, which are a sign of steroid use."

She forced Boduljak to accompany her to the police station and take a urine test. The results came back negative and Boduljak filed a complaint about the officer, but prosecutors declined to press charges.

Massive pillow fight falls short of record

GENEVA, Ill., Aug. 13 (UPI) -- "The World's Largest Pillow Fight," as the Geneva, Ill., event was billed, fell short of the record mark at a Kane County Cougars minor league baseball game.

The pillow fight, which was 563 people short of the Guinness record with 3,085 participants, helped boost the Cougars to a franchise attendance record of 14,492 for their game against Chicago Cubs farm team the Peoria Chiefs, the Aurora (Ill.) Beacon News reported Monday.

"We came close," Cougars spokesman Shawn Touney said. "It was quite entertaining -- feathers were flying in different places on the right field. We did break a franchise attendance record."

Pre-registered pillow fight participants of all ages were issued wristbands to give them clearance to take to the field after the game. Inflatable mini pillows were provided by Back to Bed to the first 2,000 fans through the gates.

Marijuana plant's identity outed by TV

LODDEKOPINGE, Sweden, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- A Loddekopinge, Sweden, couple say they did not realize the impressively sized plant in their garden was marijuana until they saw cannabis plants on TV.

Helge and Helga Nilsson said they nurtured the mystery plant until it reached a height of 60 inches -- then they saw a report on TV about drugs and were shown images of cannabis plants, The Local reported Monday.

"Lord, Helge -- we've got one of those in the garden," Nilsson told her husband after viewing the report.

The Nilssons said they are planning to remove the plant based on advice from the Lund Botanical Gardens. However, they said they will be sad to say goodbye to the pretty green plant.

"It's really quite decorative," Helge Nilsson said.