UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Official says honorary toilet a bit much

GNOSJO, Sweden, April 17 (UPI) -- An official in the Swedish town of Gnosjo says a municipality tradition of honoring an employee's 25 years of service went too far with a toilet purchase.

Stefan Nilsson, Gnosjo human resources head, said the town should change its practice of allowing employees to choose any item worth as much as the traditional gold watch in honor of 25 years of faithful service, The Local said Friday.

"I, and many like me, think that the purpose (of the loose policy) has gotten a little out of hand," Nilsson said.

The local official was reacting to an unidentified Gnosjo employee's decision to purchase a new toilet for himself on his employment anniversary.

For Nilsson, the concept of a loyal employee thinking of Gnosjo while using the bathroom item is not a palatable idea.

"A memorial gift should be something you remember," he told the Local. "Is someone supposed to sit on a new toilet and think back on their years with Gnosjo municipality?"

For future honorary gifts, Nilsson suggests necklaces, bracelets or even a nice crystal vase.

Police: Boys' BB gun robbery no mere game

OAKLAND, Calif., April 17 (UPI) -- Police in Oakland, Calif., say two boys, ages 8 and 10, armed with a BB gun demanded money and candy during a convenience store robbery.

Oakland police spokesman Officer Jeff Thomason said the two boys, whose identities were not reported, showed the store's clerk their firearm during Thursday's robbery while demanding money, gum and Push Pops, The Oakland (Calif.) Tribune said Friday.

Thomason said while the gun used by the boys in Thursday's robbery was a basic BB gun that did not mean it was not a risk to others.

"A BB gun isn't just a plastic toy gun," Thomason said. "You can hurt someone with that."

Thomason told the Tribune the boys were caught and handed over to their parents, but will may face armed robbery charges in juvenile court.

"It's very sad that kids so young would be trying to do something like this," he said.

Capone love song heads to the Internet

CHICAGO, April 17 (UPI) -- A love song composed in prison by Chicago mobster Al Capone has been recorded on CD and will be released on the Internet, a suburban Chicago fan says.

Rich Larsen of Caponefanclub.com plans to release a recording of Capone's "Madonna Mia" on his Web site Monday, the Chicago Tribune said.

Larsen, of Prospect Heights, Ill., says Capone apparently composed the ballad while serving time for income tax evasion at Alcatraz in the 1930s.

"It's a very touching Italian love ballad," says Larsen. "I think it shows that Capone actually had a softness in his heart and a gentle way about him in certain ways."

"Madonna Mia" is believed to be an ode to Capone's wife, Mae, and is the only song the Mafia chieftain is known to have composed.

An inscribed copy of the sheet music framed alongside a picture of Capone is on sale for $65,000 at the Boston location of historical document dealer Kenneth W. Rendell.

Owners locate stolen vehicle

JOLIET, Ill., April 17 (UPI) -- An Illinois couple played detective and located their stolen SUV by tracing cell phone calls made by a youth who took the vehicle, authorities say.

When Lindsey and Mike Ryan of Joliet realized that Mike had left his cell phone in their missing Nissan Pathfinder, they went online to see if the thief had made any calls, the Joliet (Ill.) Herald-News reported Friday.

"I clicked on call details and there it was!" said Lindsey Ryan. "He was calling all his friends and family members."

The couple then began a reverse search of those numbers online, obtaining addresses and calling the landlines.

Their detective work revealed that the thief who stole their car was a 14-year-old boy and the vehicle was parked on Bellarmine Drive.

The couple called the Tri-County Auto Task Force and agents located the vehicle.

"They recovered drugs and a knife along with my husband's cell phone," Ryan told the newspaper.

A warrant has been issued for the juvenile suspect.