Watercooler Stories

Police van gets stuck in wet concrete

BRAUNSCHWEIG, Germany, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- German authorities say a police van became stuck in wet concrete when it took a wrong turn while chasing some suspected criminals.

Police in Braunschweig said the officer driving the van was chasing a man and a woman accused of stealing bicycles when the vehicle rounded a corner and became stuck in freshly-laid concrete, The Mirror reported Monday.

Police said the van had to be pulled out by a tow truck, the British newspaper said.

The suspects were apprehended later, investigators said.

Men already camping out for Black Friday

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Two young Pittsburgh men are camping out in front of a Best Buy store to make sure they are first in line for Black Friday shopping.

Jesse Bredholt and Ryan Seech, both 21, who pitched their tent Friday at the Best Buy near Century III Mall, said they don't even have any specific sale items in mind -- they just want to be at the head of the line for the fun of it, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Monday.

"We're just in line for the enjoyment," Bredholt said.

"We haven't even looked at the ads yet," Seech said.

The men said they have been using the bathrooms at nearby restaurants.

'Cash mob' gives boost to coffee house

PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Customers of an Oregon coffee shop that suffered two recent armed robberies organized a "cash mob" to show support and leave big tips at the cafe.

Jenifer DeWolfe, a regular customer at Black Rock Coffee Bar in Portland, said she organized Sunday's "cash mob" -- a group of customers who "mob" a business with purchases to give a financial and morale boost to the company -- at the cafe to show support for Black Rock following a pair of armed robberies Oct. 27 and Nov. 7, The (Portland) Oregonian reported Monday.

"It's really disheartening," DeWolfe said of the robberies. "I understand people get desperate, but there's always a better way to get what you need. It's ridiculous that hard-working people that donate to the community are the ones that get hurt."

Daniel Brand, whose family owns Black Rock, said he and his employees were overjoyed by the show of support.

"We try to connect with the local communities," Brand said. "So it's awesome to see people coming out like this."

School worker recorded feeding rat

CHESTERFIELD, England, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Officials at a British school said a behavioral tutor is being investigated after a student recorded him feeding a rat near the school's cafeteria.

Tracey Burnside, acting head at Springwell Community College, a school for students ages 11-16 near Chesterfield, England, said an investigation has been opened after Paul Ashworth, 33, was recorded feeding a rat while two colleagues looked on near the schools' cafeteria, The Sun reported Monday.

"Clearly staff should not put out food for any animals on school grounds," Burnside said. "We understand that the bread was on the ground near the rat for a short period of time but have launched an investigation."

Parent Mandy Sludds, 40, said she was outraged to see the video.

"For staff to encourage wild rats not far from where children are eating and playing is just diabolical," she said. "This was stupid, mindless behaviour from an adult in charge of sorting out children behaving badly. The bread had been put out for the rat not far from the kitchen block. It was a big, pregnant thing with a nest under a bush."