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Owner hopes stolen parrot annoys thieves

HATTERSLEY, England, March 29 (UPI) -- The British owner of a stolen parrot said he hopes the thieves will bring the bird back once they've had enough of her singing the hits of Queen.

Malcolm Booth, 44, said the African Grey parrot named Chico was stolen from his Hattersley home last weekend, along with a PlayStation 3 game console, Britain's The Sun reported Wednesday. He thinks the thieves won't be too happy when they realize Chico loves to squawk out the lyrics to "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We are the Champions" and "Killer Queen."

"I'm a great fan of Queen and am used to Chico squawking and whistling their tunes but I'm not sure its everyone's cup of tea," Booth said. "I don't think the people who have her will appreciate her squawking 'Scaramouche', 'Galileo' and 'I'm just a poor boy' at them all the time. In fact I think it will drive them up the wall."

Booth said he hopes whoever has the bird will bring her back, though he doesn't care too much about the game console.

"They can keep the PlayStation 3, I'm not bothered," he told The Sun. "My bird was a family member."

Wanted man text messages detective

EDMONDS, Wash., March 29 (UPI) -- A man wanted on felony warrants was arrested after he sent a text message to a detective, police in Edmonds, Wash., said.

Police Detective Brian McIntyre said he received a text message from a number he didn't recognize. The text said, "Who are you?" and the detective responded with a similar question, KOMO-TV, Seattle, reported Wednesday.

McIntyre said there was no response until he received another message from the phone number two days later. "And it said 'Come get me,' and then a not-so-nice word," he said. "I was like, oh, that sounds like a criminal."

McIntyre said he plugged the number into a police computer and discovered it belonged to Jason Wrenchy, 29, a man McIntyre had previously arrested for burglary and drugs. He said Wrenchy had two outstanding warrants on felony charges.

"We just decided I'll text him and see if he wants to meet me somewhere," he said.

McIntyre said he was shocked when Wrenchy messaged back with an address, but not as shocked as the suspect was when he found himself under arrest.

"In this case, he was obviously not so smart," McIntyre said. "I don't know if he ever knew who he was texting with."

Decapitated snake head 'bites' man

MOBILE, Ala., March 29 (UPI) -- Authorities in Alabama said a homeless man handling a decapitated snake head was treated after being poisoned by the snake's venom.

Emergency responders in Mobile said the 41-year-old man stuck a finger in the mouth of what was believed to be the head of a cotton mouth and the snake's fangs broke his skin, WALA-TV, Mobile, reported Wednesday.

The man initially refused medical treatment, but paramedics were called back to the scene when the man began showing the effects of venom poisoning. He was taken to USA Medical Center for treatment.

A friend of the man said he spotted the snake swimming in a nearby creek.

"I saw it swimming down along the creek and everything. And I ran down and hit it with the machete and killed it and brought it up. He picked the head up and stuck himself right in the finger with it," the friend said.

"He put his finger in there and all of a sudden the nerves, I guess, and it bit down on his finger."

Accused thief: Car was already stolen

MINNEAPOLIS, March 29 (UPI) -- Authorities in Minneapolis said a man accused of driving off with a department bait car told officers the car was already stolen when he obtained it.

Investigators said Joe Anthony Arnold, 24, was pulled over shortly after driving off Sunday in the bait car, one of several placed around the city in a bid to nab car thieves, the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press reported Wednesday.

"After being informed that he was being arrested for auto theft, defendant Arnold stated that the vehicle belonged to a friend of his," Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Paul Scoggin wrote in the criminal complaint. "When officers stated that the vehicle belonged to the city of Minneapolis, defendant Arnold further stated that he could not get in trouble as the vehicle was already stolen."

Arnold pointed out the car had a "peeled" steering column, which gives thieves the ability to bypass the ignition lock and start the car.

Arnold and his passenger, Jelora Jade Clark, 29, were charged with car theft Tuesday and were each jailed in lieu of $5,000 bail.