Stupid criminals
Trespassing couch potato, When: Oct. 30, 2011,Portland, Oregon
The story: A burglary suspect told his side of the story he say jason bastrom the doormat said welcome after he was caught watching TV on someone else's couch.Police said a man broke into a Portland home Sunday morning to sit on a couch and watch TV.
Jason Bastrom, 32, faces a criminal trespass charge after police said he let himself in through an unlocked door of a home on the 7100 block of North Fowler Avenue. Police said officers responded to a burglary call at the home at 7:29 a.m.
Jamie McGowan News Sunday she heard sounds in her house and called her mother, who called 911. Her mother also called Jamie's brother-in-law Greg Padden, who lives nearby.
"The guy was just standing right here in front of the TV with the remote in his hand," Padden said.
"I asked him what he was doing here. He mumbled something I didn't really understand, and then he proceeded to tell me 'it's Halloween, the doormat said welcome,' so he proceeded to let himself into the house," said Padden.
Police said Padden punched Bastrom when he put his hand in his pocket, knocking him out. He held him on the ground until police arrived.
Bastrom was taken to a hospital for treatment to his injuries. He was later booked into the Multnomah County Jail, police said.
The family told the doormat in front of their house does not say 'welcome' on it. It does not say anything at all.
Very wrong number,When: Oct. 18, 2011,Jackson, Mississippi,judy weible + hydrocodone tablets
The story: A 61-year-old woman was nabbed after cops say she called and texted them to set up a drug deal. What was she allegedly selling?
Woman called cop to sell drugs, police say, Officials: Pearl woman arrested after calling Hinds investigator to make drug sale. A Pearl woman is behind bars for accidentally trying to sell drugs to a Hinds County Sheriff’s Deputy over the phone, a sheriff’s department spokesman said.
Judy Weible, 61, apparently dialed a wrong number last night to sell painkillers, and inadvertently got an investigator with the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department’s Street Crimes Task Force.
The investigator thought the call had to be a joke, so he ignored it, said HCSO spokesman Lt. Jeff Scott.
Once the woman called back and text-messaged several times, investigators made arrangements to meet her. When they did, they arrested her with 30 hydrocodone pills, Scott said.
“I would think you’d have a better chance of winning the lottery than accidentally calling a police officer to sell some drugs,” he said. “I couldn’t make that up.”
Scott said Weible is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of paraphernalia.
“It certainly does make it easier to catch them when they call in on themselves,” Scott said.
Weible is being held at the Hinds County Detention Center, and no bond has been set.
“A case like this would never happen again in a million years, if it wasn’t so sad it would be hilarious,” Scott said. “A 61-year-old lady, this someone who obviously needs some type of help with substance abuse.” Judy Weible calls cop drug deal, judy weible possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, hydrocodone, judy weible called repeatedly drugs,
'Heroin for sale' sign,When: Oct. 18, 2011,Portland, Oregon,portland + meth lab, 19 grams of marijuana, 10 grams of heroin, 190 pills and $4,143 in cash + shotgun,heroin for sale sign
The story: Police raided a home after a neighbor sent them a flier that had been posted.
A north Portland home was raided by police after a fed-up neighbor sent officers a flier that said "Heroin for sale" and gave the home's address.
Portland police officers and the bureau's Special Emergency Reaction Team served a search warrant on the home in the 3900 block of North Massachusetts on Tuesday. Officers who raided the home found a small meth lab, 19 grams of marijuana, 10 grams of heroin, 190 pills and $4,143 in cash, police say. They also seized a shotgun.
Police began looking into the home more than a year ago because of numerous neighborhood complaints. At one point, an unidentified neighbor gave police the "Heroin for sale" flier, which also had the address and names of the suspected drug dealers.
In addition, there were a number of public safety meetings where neighbors complained about the drug problem in their neighborhood, and they asked for something to be done, police say.
During the raid, there were seven adults and one 15-year-old in the home. Six of the adults were arrested on various charges: 59-year-old Joseph Baron, 58-year-old Shari Baron, 42-year-old Todd Christie, 36-year-old Suzanne Johnson, 34-year-old Barry Frost and 34-year-old Steven Davis.
After police searched the house, neighbors came out to thank the officers.
Sgt. John Birkinbine, who leads the Neighborhood Response Team for the area, says many of the officers were surprised at what happened after the suspects were arrested.
"They were running out to our commander in the street and giving him hugs," Birkinbine says.
He says the neighbors deserve most of the credit for getting the suspected drug house busted.
Many of the homeowners took down license plate numbers to suspicious vehicles. Others tell FOX 12 they took pictures of people coming and going from the house.
"We really have to hand it to them. They really did a lot of the leg work on this for us," says Birkinbine.
Nearby residents were relieved when officers moved in, many saying they had waited years for this to happen.
"As a lifelong resident of this area, it's gratifying to see the authorities take care of this problem for us," says Doug Barrett.
Other homeowners say they had grown tired of the suspected drug activity bringing in unwanted traffic.
"Well, it was a long time coming and I'm really glad it did," says Bruce Hellemn.
