Some criminal cases are unusual, humorous or just outright odd. And there's no shortage of them on the Treasure Coast. This column will highlight cases that often leave observers shaking their heads.
Manufacturing crime
A Port St. Lucie man's devious plan turned on him when he was arrested last week for making a false report.
The man, who was in his vehicle, encountered his apparently estranged girlfriend, who had apparently left a dress at his residence.
He spoke with her about patching up the relationship and giving her the dress back. He drove her to his residence and supposedly went inside to get the dress while she was waiting outside.
But instead of getting the dress, he called police to have her arrested for trespassing.
One must wonder how someone can be trespassing when the property owner invites him or her onto the property.
And police wondered that also. So instead of police arresting the woman, they arrested the man.
He admitted to police the whole plot was to get the woman arrested.
What plan will he come up with next? Give her money and then ask police to arrest her for theft?
Anti-superman?
In comic books and the movies, Superman is a force for good, going after bank robbers and other criminals.
But in Stuart, a man wearing a Superman undershirt and blue jeans was the criminal. Police say he robbed the Chase Bank at 2280 S.E. Federal Highway on Aug. 16 around noon.
He's described as being 5 feet 10 inches tall and was wearing a white hat with an oval-shaped legal.
Maybe the man will surrender realizing he misunderstood mission of Superman.
Anyone with information about the bank robbery should contact Detective Nick Briglia at (772) 287-1122.
Shoplifting before work
Shopping at a competitor while wearing your work uniform may not be the greatest idea. But an even worse idea is to shoplift at the competitor while wearing the work uniform.
An employee at a Wal-Mart in Sebastian reported a man wearing a Publix uniform handed a Wal-Mart employee an old receipt and then ran out without paying for toilet paper.
During the escape, the man hit a parked car.
Later, Sebastian police found the man at his job at Publix in Roseland and arrested him for shoplifting the toilet paper and leaving the scene of the accident.
Apparently, that he wore his Publix uniform during the shoplifting made it easier for police to find him.