Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Dead man's remains hit home FOREST GROVE, Ore., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- It wasn't an airplane, terrorists, or any practical joke but the remains of a dead man that had come through the roof of the woman's home in Oregon. Advertisement Barbara Vreeland of Forest Grove certainly was startled when she heard something burst through the roof of her home. Neighbors told her it came from an airplane flying overhead. Police thought it might be the work of terrorists or people just horsing around. Later it was discovered Vreeland's home was pelted by the remains of a Washington state man dropped on the house by accident, the Oregonian reported Wednesday. On Tuesday, the man's family came forward and told police the 46-year-old man died of natural causes in June. The man's final wish was to be cremated and have his ashes scattered over a Forest Grove cemetery that is near Vreeland's home. Advertisement Family members said the bag of ashes slipped as they were circling the cemetery in a small plane. "I understand the man wanted to be with his (deceased) relatives," Vreeland said. "I feel for those people. But I think some of their relative is still in our attic." Iceland kids rescue wayward puffin chicks VESTMANNAEYJAR, Iceland, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Another August has come and gone in Iceland and another group of wayward puffin chicks will live, thanks to a group of daring human children. Every August, for about two weeks, young pufflings on the island of Vestmannaeyjar, off southern Iceland, begin to migrate out to sea, says a report in the Wall Street Journal. But, during nighttime hours, many of the birds mistake the town's lights for the moon and crash into parking lots, backyards and cars. The children form nocturnal rescue squads, roaming the island's only town of 4,000 in search of wayward birds. Puffling rescue has been an Iceland tradition for generations -- a local version of an Easter egg hunt and Halloween rolled into one, the report said. "It's a lot better than Halloween," insisted 10-year-old Arny Osvaldsdottir. She, her two cousins and their friends were out until 3 a.m. the night before, with a total catch of 15 chicks. Advertisement Many of the 10 million puffins that nest in Iceland each summer choose Vestmannaeyjar for nesting. By mid-August, most of the puffin couples, having raised a single chick each, have flown to the open Arctic Ocean, where they winter. Officer charged in bank robbery ATLANTA, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- An Atlanta police officer accused in a bank heist allegedly warned the teller not to give him "the same red dye pack" as before, it was reported Wednesday. Stanley Street, a 17-year police veteran, was charged with robbing a Wachovia bank and is suspected in two other Wachovia robberies since June -- including an earlier hit on the bank robbed Tuesday, authorities told the Atlanta Constitution Journal. Street, wearing a ski mask, allegedly went to the bank branch hours after getting off work and demanded money with the stipulation: "Don't give me the red dye pack like you did last time," Chief Richard Pennington said. After the robbery, the suspect carefully backed out of the bank parking lot to shield the license plate of his car, police said. But a witness read the car's tag and called it in. Crooks sell secrets to newbie thieves Advertisement OSLO, Norway, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Norweigian police say seasoned criminals are selling "how-to" manuals to their less experienced brethren, Aftenposten reported Wednesday. The seller researches the "mark," then sells a set of instructions to less experienced thieves, authorities said. The newbie criminals have to supply their own equipment and come up with an escape route -- which could explain a startling increase in recent botched robberies. Getting proof of the theory, however, isn't as simple as it sounds. "There isn't much talking in these circles but some information drips out from time to time," a police source told Aftenposten. "These are things that different sources tell us and it is difficult getting proof. This isn't the kind of deal where you get a receipt," a prosecution source added. Little kids pass off 'play money' as real LUNHEIM, Norway, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A pair of 8-year-olds in Norway were so pleased with the "play" money they made, they decided to try and pass it off as real. They were busted. Bladet Troms reported Wednesday the children tried to use their funny money to buy candy at the ICA grocery in Lunheim. Although the 200-crown note was a "realistic" looking copy, the clerk realized the paper didn't feel quite right. Advertisement "To the eye the note was like a normal 200-note. But when the cashier felt it the paper quality gave the attempted swindle away," store Manager Magnus Krane told the newspaper. The children told police they made the money on a photo copier to "play store," but it looked so real, they decided to go shopping. Police explained the concept of forgery to the remorseful counterfeiters. No charges were filed.
