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Boy calls police to surrender pacifiers

TARANTO, Italy, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Police in an Italian city said a 4-year-old boy who considered himself too old for his pacifiers called authorities to surrender the baby toys.

Taranto police said the boy called the emergency line a few days before his birthday and explained that he thought the police should have his old pacifiers, ANSA reported.

"I'm old enough now so you can have my dummies," the boy told the operator.

Police said two officers visited the boy's birthday party and traded him a souvenir hat in exchange for his four old pacifiers.

Police reprimanded for shield sledding

OXFORD, England, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Police in England said a group of officers caught on camera using a riot shield as a sled on a snow slope were reprimanded by a superior.

Superintendent Andrew Murray, Oxford City commander with Thames Valley Police, said a bystander captured video of a group of officers arriving at the slope and encouraging a colleague to sled down the hill while clinging to the straps for steering, the Daily mail reported.

The video was later uploaded to YouTube.

"The snow has a habit of bringing out the child in all of us," Murray said. "I have spoken to the officers concerned and reminded them in no uncertain terms that tobogganing on duty, on police equipment and at taxpayers' expense is a very bad idea should they wish to progress under my command."

Robber foiled when owner refused

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Police in Illinois said they were looking for a would-be robber who was foiled by an 88-year-old store owner's simple refusal to hand over any cash.

Springfield police said a man dressed in all black, including a black scarf over his face, entered Mae's Cake 'n Candy Supplies at about 3:40 p.m. Tuesday and looked around for about five minutes before approaching the owner at the cash register, the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register reported.

Investigators said the man placed a note on the counter reading, "Give me the money in the register."

"No," was all the owner told the man, police said.

Officers said the man walked out of the store and fled on foot. They said a man matching the suspect's description was seen applying for a job at a nearby business the next day.

Police find buried bus full of pot plants

KINSTON, N.C., Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Authorities in North Carolina said a school bus being used as a marijuana greenhouse was well hidden -- it was buried underneath the suspect's garage.

Lenoir County Sheriff's Maj. Chris Hill said the Wednesday arrest of Jerome Murriell, who was pulled over with several pounds of marijuana in his car, led them to search the home of Linsey and Desiz Dail outside of Kinston, WITN-TV, Greenville, N.C., reported.

"The canines were brought in," Hill said, "and as a result of the dogs being brought in they located a hidden panel, or door, or wall in an out building."

Hill said the panel was disguising a tunnel leading to an underground school bus that had been outfitted as a marijuana growing room.

"To actually dig a hole and place a school bus inside of it and cover it up with dirt and have a tunnel to it to cover up, that whole operation is at the very least unique," Hill said.

He said investigators found 60 mature marijuana plants inside the bus.

Sheriff's officials said all three suspects were charged with conspiracy to manufacturing marijuana, trafficking marijuana and possession with intent to sell marijuana. They were taken to the Lenoir County Jail.