oddly enough

oddly enough

Erie stores, eateries target thieves with ‘shame’

ERIE, Pa.

Several Erie grocery stores and restaurants are fighting small-time thievery by posting pictures of dishonest customers on “walls of shame.”

The Erie Times-News says photos of shoplifters adorn the front window of Bello’s Shur Fine Food Mart, in hopes customers will recognize thieves dubbed the “sub thief,” “Kool-Aid thief” and “meat thief,” among others. There’s even a “soap thief.” The pictures come from surveillance cameras.

Dan Serafin, who operates 85-year-old Serafin’s Market, says he’s been posting such pictures for years and has two folders full of old ones.

General manager Duke Chen is doing the same thing with people who leave without paying their checks at the Imperial China Buffet in neighboring Millcreek Township.

Chen says, “We want to do it not to catch them but to let them know how bad they are.”

Pa. bank-robbery suspect left Facebook farewell

SAXONBURG, Pa.

A man jailed on charges he robbed a rural western Pennsylvania bank bid farewell to his friends on Facebook before he surrendered to police.

Saxonburg police Chief Joe Beachem says the Facebook post Sunday by 31-year-old Arthur Pillart III came to light after police already were looking for him.

Responding to a question about the robbery, Pillart called the Friday afternoon robbery at the Citizens Bank branch “the dumbest thing I have ever done” in a message he posted moments before leaving home to turn himself in.

Pillart apologized to his friends for ignoring their advice and ended by writing, “Thanks everyone wish me luck! I am going to have my mother post the address. As for now, I will be in the Butler County Prison. I love everybody. Peace out.”

Police: Man wore ‘Scream’ mask in Miss. robberies

MERIDIAN, Miss.

Police have arrested an Indianapolis man in two convenience-store robberies in Mississippi where the thief wore a mask like the one used by the villain in the 1990s slasher flick “Scream.”

Meridian police charged Jerry Jones, 33, with two counts of armed robbery.

Jones is suspected of robbing the two stores roughly four hours apart early Friday, The Meridian Star reported Monday.

Both times, authorities say, he was wearing a mask like the one worn by the villain in the film “Scream,” which starred Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore and David Arquette.

No one was injured in either robbery.

Associated Press