Oddly Enough

Man to stand trial on charges he swallowed mom’s rings

WASHINGTON, Pa.

A southwestern Pennsylvania man will stand trial on charges he stole two rings from his mother then tampered with the evidence by swallowing them.

Robert Spriggs, 53, of Washington, Pa., remained jailed after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

North Strabane Township police say Spriggs stole the rings, each valued at $30,000, while visiting his 81-year-old mother Nov. 13. Police say Spriggs swallowed those rings, along with a $15 ring he owned, while police questioned him.

All three rings were recovered while Spriggs was confined in a Washington County Jail cell without a flushable toilet.

The Observer-Reporter newspaper in Washington, Pa., says Spriggs told police he swallowed the rings after “panicking” when officers searched him.

Postal worker sentenced for stealing packages

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo.

A former Denver-area postal worker who pleaded guilty to stealing more than 11,000 packages and then selling their contents has been sentenced to 21/2 years in federal prison.

Denver’s KUSA-TV reported that the judge sentenced David Schmauder, 48, to the maximum sentence Monday. Schmauder pleaded guilty in August to two felony counts of theft by mail.

Authorities say Schmauder stole packages over two years at a Highlands Ranch post office.

The items included DVDs, CDs and lingerie from Victoria’s Secret.

Authorities say Schmauder sold most of the items to a store in Littleton. They say he netted more than $85,000 for the goods.

The Postal Service estimates the losses at $283,913 but said there’s no way to know how much was stolen.

Pa. man: Vending machine made him attack mom

FREEDOM, Pa.

Police say a western Pennsylvania man told them that a vending machine “made him” attack his mother, breaking her wrist.

David Huffman, 33, was jailed and unable to post bond after his arrest on assault charges Tuesday by New Sewickley Township police.

Police Chief Ron Leindecker told the Beaver County Times that Huffman’s father reported his son was “flipping out” and attacked Ethel Huffman, who was found lying in bed with a broken wrist Tuesday afternoon.

Police say Huffman claimed “that the Pepsi machine at Costco made him hurt his mother,” and he repeatedly apologized for his actions after his arrest.

Online court records don’t list an attorney for Huffman, who faces a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Associated Press