oddly enough

oddly enough

Austrian thieves make off with 2 tons of coffee

VIENNA

In a heist that could fill the mother of all bottomless cups, thieves in Austria have made off with 2 tons of coffee.

Police say the culprits broke into a wholesaler and coffee-roaster’s warehouse east of Vienna, loaded a stolen van with the goods and then drove off.

A police statement issued Tuesday put the value of the vehicle and its contents at more than 55,000 euros — $72,000.

The thieves also took two coffee machines with them.

Rooster crows daily at chicken restaurant

COLLIERVILLE, Tenn.

Every day a colorful character visits a fried-chicken restaurant outside Memphis and loudly announces his arrival — with a crow.

Nobody seems to know where the red rooster came from, but The Commercial Appeal reported he first showed up about three months ago and has been a daily fixture ever since at Gus’ Fried Chicken in Collierville.

He’s been known to cross a busy street, but most often crows from a fenced field across the street from the restaurant.

Collierville Animal Services has been trying to catch him. Shelter manager John Robinson says he doesn’t want the cocky fowl to meet an untimely end at the paws of a raccoon or other predator.

Robinson said of the bird that he fears no man — or Gus.

Police put the squeeze on toothpaste thief

EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass.

Police using surveillance video have put the squeeze on a man suspected of trying to steal a shopping cart full of toothpaste from a western Massachusetts grocery store.

Police arrested 23-year old Timmy John Laflamme on Monday after spotting him sitting in a car across the street from the Stop & Shop supermarket in East Longmeadow that he was accused of trying to rob last week.

Laflamme, of Chicopee, pleaded not guilty to shoplifting and was ordered held without bail because of pending cases in Springfield.

Police tell The Republican that Laflamme tried leaving the store with the toothpaste April 4 but fled when he was stopped by store employees.

Police say shoplifting toothpaste and other toiletries is common. Thieves try to resell the items to small convenience stores.

Associated Press