San Fernando, California
66-year-old Leona Vanatta worked throughout her long career as an accountant. She liked things done right and done on time. Bills paid on schedule and commitments fulfilled. That's the way it had always been, and even after she retired, she saw no reason to change it. 

So when she arrived at the Trans World Bank and found her social security check had not been automatically deposited she had some hard decisions to make. Either take drastic action or her rent would not be paid on time. 

When told she couldn't have her rent money, Leona pulled a pistol from her purse and asked "Now can I have my money?" The branch manager instructed the teller to give Leona whatever she wanted. The teller asked "How much?" "Give me $242," she replied. Leona's not greedy, and $ 242 was the amount of her social security check that was supposed to be deposited. She took the money and rode away on her bicycle. 

The police caught her within minutes. Right after an alert officer matched up the "suspect's" description as she rode past the police station on her way home. After all how many 66-yearold retired bicycle riding bank robbing accountants do you see making a get away past the PD? 

Kittery, Maine
The Hill and Cormier families have been neighbors for years. Over the past few years the Hills have complained about the noisy barking of the Cormier family dogs, and protesting that the police never issued a complaint even after numerous calls. Finally the police served a summons. They served it on the Hill's son Henry. It seems Henry barks back at the Cormier's dog when the dog barks at him. Henry is being charged with creating a nuisance. 

Sacramento, California
It seems four faithful kidnappers threatened to kill their victim unless she went into her bank and withdrew a large sum of money for them. Apparently she promised to do so. The bandits waited outside in their pickup truck for the cash. Imagine their outrage when the hostage walked right into the bank, told the security guard, who called the cops, who within minutes showed up with guns and handcuffs. Some victims just can't be trusted. 

Madison, Wisconson 
Imagine being a burglar and fleeing from a closed bank after setting off the alarm. When deputies arrived they found nitroglycerin wired to blow off the vault door. The only thing the burglar had left to do was to set off the charge using an extension cord. The deputies believe the suspect fled when he realized the cord couldn't reach the fuse. The cord was three feet to short. 

Mentor, Ohio 
A man tried to commit suicide by lying down in front of a freight train. James Ellis, a conductor on the 58-car freight train that ran over the unidentified man, said it was too late to stop when he saw the man on the tracks, and 21 cars passed over him before the engine could brake to a halt. When Ellis went back to examine what he thought would be the shredded remains, he found the would-be suicide asleep, next to a partially consumed 1 2-pack of beer. The man was just thin enough to fit in the 12-inch clearance between the rails and the bottoms of the freight cars. 

San Francisco, California
There are a lot of reasons for driving in a two-person minimum carpool traffic lane with only one person in the car. However, when a suspect appeared before the court recently he claimed he wasn't alone in the car. His second passenger was his dog. The driver told the judge, (right before the judge imposed a fine) that the driver is partially blind and the dog would bark to warn him of approaching cars. 

Du Bois, Pennsylvania 
State Trooper Fred Day cited a motorist for speeding. Instead of signing the ticket, the driver clearly stated he knew he was going over the posted limit and insisted on having a court hearing on the matter. Trooper Day and the man appeared before the magistrate. The man was found guilty and happily paid his fine. After the hearing Trooper Day asked the man why he had bothered with the hearing just to plead guilty. "I came to this country from Yugoslavia," the man explained. "I never had the freedom to ask for a hearing. Now I do." 

Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Police arrested George Klipola, 20, for burglary of a department store. It seems police found the wallet George dropped while "allegedly" rappelling down from a skylight to rob the store. 

Baltimore, Maryland 
Recently, a Baltimore County Judge released Daniel O'Toole Jr. from a state hospital for violent criminals, where he had been confined since 1986 despite numerous petitions for his freedom. Instead of confessing his guilt that year to a drunk driving charge, O'Toole had chosen to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. He was sent to the hospital for examination, found to be a "danger to the community," and had been held at the state hospital ever since. 

Hawthorne, California 
Joseph Harper, 18, was arrested for robbing a Lawndale convenience store; he called policeto report that his wallet had been stolen. Police had already found the walletthat Harper dropped as he robbed the store.