UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

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Judge orders suspect to read books

SAN FRANCISCO, May 15 (UPI) -- A San Francisco man accused of trying to sell a grenade launcher was ordered released on bond on the condition he read each day and write book reports.

Otis Mobley Jr., 23, was indicted last month alongside cousin Khusar Mobley, 18, and Dmarce Hutcherson, 19, on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, assault on a federal officer, robbery and a weapons violation, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday.

Prosecutors said the men arranged to sell a grenade launcher to an undercover agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives March 28 and the sale was actually a ruse for a planned robbery.

The men pulled guns on the undercover agent and attempted to rob him, but fellow agents joined him and Hutcherson was shot and wounded by an agent.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis Westmore ruled April 23 for Mobley to be released on $150,000 bond and wear an ankle monitor with GPS tracking. Prosecutors appealed the ruling, saying Mobley is a flight risk, but U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers upheld the bond ruling Monday.

Rogers said a condition of Mobley's bond requires him to spend an hour reading books every day and at least a half an hour writing book reports.

Man pickets over all-you-can-eat fish fry

THIENSVILLE, Wis., May 15 (UPI) -- A Wisconsin man said he will picket a restaurant every Sunday until its all-you-can-eat fish fry lives up to its name.

Bill Wisth, who stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 350 pounds, said he went to the all-you-can-eat fish fry Friday at Chuck's Place in Thiensville and was angered when the restaurant cut him off after he downed a dozen pieces of fish, WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, reported Tuesday.

"It's false advertising," Wisth said.

Wisth, who called police while arguing with workers, said he was not satisfied when the restaurant gave him eight more pieces of fish when he left.

"I think that people have to stand up for consumers," Wisth said.

Wisth returned to the restaurant two days later with a picket sign and said he will stand outside the eatery every Sunday until it changes its policy during the all-you-can-eat fish fry.

Elizabeth Roeming, a waitress at the Chuck's Place, said Wisth was cut off because the kitchen was running out of fish. She said Wisth has caused disturbances at the restaurant before despite making allowances for the customer, including allowing him to run up a tab that he has yet to pay.

Police: Taxi cab thieves left flower trail

BOSTON, May 15 (UPI) -- Boston police said they arrested two men accused of hijacking a taxi cab and leaving a trail of flower petals during a foot chase.

Police said Brian Cunneen, 21, of Lowell, and Shawn Hickey, 40, of Boston, took a ride in a taxi cab Sunday and Hickey allegedly pulled a realistic-looking pellet handgun on the driver when two of his credit cards were declined, the Boston Herald reported Tuesday.

The driver fled when the men demanded his money and they gave chase, shooting him twice in the chest with the pellet gun, police said.

Investigators said Hickey briefly stole the cab and left Cunneen behind, but was forced to abandon the vehicle when he crashed it into two cars and the two men fled together on foot.

Police said a trail of flower petals From Cunneen's "orange, yellow and red floral arrangement" led them to a knife the men abandoned while fleeing and officers were able to catch up to the suspects.

Both men were charged with armed carjacking and armed robbery. Hickey was also charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and leaving the scene of an accident. The men were ordered held without bail.

Magnetic implants keep iPod in place

NEWFIELD, N.J., May 15 (UPI) -- A New Jersey tattoo artist said he implanted four magnets in his wrist so he can wear his iPod Nano without anything else holding it in place.

Dave Hurban of Dynasty Tattoo in Newfield said the implant, which he calls the iDermal, uses magnets called micro-dermal anchors under his skin, together with magnets he stuck on the back of his iPod, to keep the MP3 player in place while he's jogging, the Gloucester County (N.J.) Times reported Tuesday.

"I can go for a run and it won't come off. I've already taken it to the gym and jogged with it on," Hurban told DigitalTrends.com.