February 21, 2001

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Bozo criminal for today comes from Boston, Massachusetts where bozo James "Houdini" Persons was arrested by the cops under suspicion of burglary. Our bozo was handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol car while the cops interviewed other witnesses. Within less than five minutes our bozo slipped out of the handcuffs, tore off the inside door panel, disabled the mechanism for opening the door, climbed into the front seat where the keys had been left in the ignition and drove off. He then quickly dumped the car and went home. And that’s where his plan blew up in his face. He had already given the officers his home address. They simply drove over to his place and arrested him again, hopefully using a better pair of handcuffs this time.

February 20, 2001

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Thanks to several Bozo News Hawks for alerting us to today’s story. From Logan, Utah comes the story of a 91 year old bozo who just didn’t know when to leave well enough alone. Bozo Clarence Sloan has allegedly been stealing electricity from the local power company for years and years, maybe as far back as the 1940’s. He simply stripped the insulation from electric company wires and tapped onto the line, bypassing the meter box. And so how was our power stealing bozo finally caught? When he called the power company to complain when there was a power outage in the area.

February 19, 2001

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Bozo criminal for today violated Bozo Rule number 2323, which states that when smuggling, it’s usually a good idea to try to conceal the items you’re trying to sneak in. From the International File in the Czech Republic comes the story of a bozo panty smuggler. Our bozo, who wanted to try to avoid paying import duties on the ladies undergarments, was arrested as he tried to cross the border with 1400 pairs of women’s underpants in his car. Guards said every available space in the car, from the doors to the dashboard, was crammed with panties. He faces a whopping $27 fine.

February 16, 2001

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From the International File in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil comes the story of bozo smuggler Johann Zoller. Our bozo was trying to sneak some parakeet eggs from Brazil into Austria. He came up with a plan whereupon he would place the parakeet eggs in a sock and place the sock in his pants, hoping to slip through customs undetected. What he may not have taken into account was that the temperature in his underwear was just right for incubation. And you guessed it, the baby birds had already begun to hatch when customs officials arrested him. He’s been charged with animal trafficing.

February 15, 2001

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Thanks to Bozo News Hawk Glen Snow for contributing today’s report. We all know that being a bozo crook is hard, dirty work, but maybe our bozo for today took it a little too far. From the International File in Durban, South Africa comes the story of our bozo who broke into a home and ransacked it, gathering up three bags of valuables. Then instead of fleeing with his loot, he decided to take a nice, hot bath. And that’s where the homeowners found him when they returned home, soaking in their bathtub. Police are still looking for him as he was able to make a "clean" getaway.

February 14, 2001

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They say that love is blind. Apparently it also makes you stupid. From Daytona Beach, Florida comes the story of bozo Wayne Starnes whose girlfriend was behind bars in the Daytona Beach Jail. Our lovesick bozo was told by his girlfriend that she had written him letters every day while she was in jail. But he hadn’t recieved them. Not a single one. And she must have also told him they were juicy love notes, too. Because our bozo, thinking the prison guards where keeping his mail from him, tried to break in to retrieve the purloined letters. He was arrested after trying to scale the west guard tower of the jail.

February 13, 2001

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Bozo criminal for today comes from Boise, Idaho where bozo Patrick Bradley held up a bank, getting away with a small amount of cash. Most crooks, after committing a crime, quickly flee the area to lessen their chances of being caught. Bozos, however, never follow the rules. Our bozo walked a short distance down the street and stopped into a barber shop where he requested a shave, wanting to get rid of his bushy mustache. The barber told him there were other customers ahead of him and he would have to wait his turn. He sat down for a while and then asked to borrow the phone to call a cab. When the taxi arrived, our bozo noticed there were also several police cars in the area and instead of getting in the cab, ran off down the street. He was quickly captured by the cops and hustled off to jail where we’re sure they have a fine barber who will give our bozo the shave he wanted.

February 12, 2001

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Thanks to Bozo News Hawk Bobby Batch for sending in today’s report. From Davenport, Washington comes the story of a group of bozos who had an elaborate plan to rob a tire store. They drove their car into one of the shop’s bays and while one of our bozos requested a new set of tires, the two other bozos walked inside the store. One bozo distracted the tire store employee while the other bozo opened the cash register and grabbed the cash. Now, all they have to do is jump in their car and make a clean getaway, right? Wrong. Remember they had asked for a new set of tires? The guy in the shop is trying to take care of them. Their getaway car is three feet off the ground with all four tires removed. Our bozos tried to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended.

February 9, 2001

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Thanks to Bozo News Hawk Tina Romans of Longview, Texas for contributing today’s report. From Elmont, New York comes the winner of our Bozo Weapon of the Month Award. Bozo Adam Oliver wanted to hold up a gas station but he didn’t have a gun or even a knife so he used what was handy. He grabbed a toilet plunger, stuck it under his coat and demanded money from the attendant. As you might imagine, even under a jacket a toilet plunger doesn’t look much like a gun. The attendant simply said "No way!" and our bozo turned and ran, dropping the plunger on the way out. Our 18 year old bozo and future plumber was arrested by the cops a short time later.

February 8, 2001

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Bozo criminal for today must have let the batteries run down in his watch. From Vernon Township, New Jersey comes the story of bozo James Drake who was planning to hold up a local bank. Our bozo arrived ready to do the job. He even put on his ski mask before he got out of the car. He strode purposefully up to the front door of the bank and gave it a mighty tug. The door didn’t budge. So he gave it a push. Still didn’t budge. Not realizing that it was past the bank’s closing time, he banged on the door, hoping a helpful employee would let him in. (Not while you’re wearing a ski mask, you bozo!) Startled bank employees tripped the alarm and the cops quickly arrived and arrested him.

February 7, 2001

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Bozo criminal for today wins our Wrong Place at the Wrong Time Award. From Vandalia, Ohio comes the story of Bozo William Lang who tried to clean out the dry cleaners. He threatened the clerk with a gun and told him to empty the cash register. Our bozo grabbed his cash and ws headed for the exit when he ran smack into a police officer who was coming in the front door. It seems our unfortunate bozo had selected a dry cleaners that was located next to the sheriff’s substation and many of the officers come in each day to pick up their uniforms.

February 6, 2001

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Bozo criminal for today comes from Hastings, Nebraska where they’ve had some rough weather this winter. But neither hail nor sleet nor snow could keep bozo David Hoffman from his appointed rounds. Our bozo got a craving for some beer and was snowed in, so he stole the city snowplow from the storage shed and drove it 20 miles to a convenience store. And to show his good intentions, our bozo gassed up the snowplow before heading home. Only problem, he wrote a personal check to pay for everything. Thinking something might be up with a snowplow driver buying beer, the clerk called the cops and our bozo was soon arrested.

February 5, 2001

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Thanks to several Bozo News Hawks for pointing out this one. From Cleveland, Ohio comes the story of bozo Maxim Zukoff who had hoped to pull off a robbery at a computer company. He had set up an after-hours meeting with the company president and was fully prepared, wearing a bullet-proof vest and carrying a mask, duct tape, a machine gun and tons of ammunition. The robbery failed to come off, however, as the company president didn’t show up. Frustrated, our bozo headed for home and was only a couple of minutes from his destination when he got a little hot under the collar (those bullet-proof vests don’t "breathe"). He pulled over to the side of the road, got out of the car in sub-freezing weather and began removing his coat and vest. A police officer, noticing what was going on, stopped to see if he could be of any assistance. When he noticed that our bozo was sweating profusely despite the cold, the officer took a look inside the car and spotted our bozo’s tools of the trade. He’s now cooling off in jail.

February 2, 2001

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Bozo criminal for today comes from the Legislative Branch. From Albany, New York comes the story of bozo New York State Assemblywoman Nancy Kaufmann who was the co-sponsor of anti-stalking legislation in the New York House. Last month her boyfriend had her arrested for making dozens of hang-up calls to his house and for posing as a cosmetics saleswoman to try to get his new girlfriend’s phone number. She was prosecuted under the very anti-stalking law that she herself drew up.

February 1, 2001

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Thanks to Bozo News Hawk Miller Duncan for sending in today’s report. From New Bedford, Massachusetts comes the story of bozo James Hampton who walked into an exhibit where several artists had their works on display. He strolled through the exhibit and chatted with a bystander before grabbing a large plastic jug that contained about $100 in donations. Unfortunately, the person he chatted with was one of the artists, who quickly made a sketch of the bozo for the cops, ultimately leading to his capture.

January 31, 2001

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We’re not really sure just who the bozo is in today’s report. From Danville, Kentucky comes the story of a Dairy Queen employee who is in hot water for accepting a phony $200 bill and giving the thief $197 back in change. Authorities say the bill is such an obvious fake it can’t even be considered counterfeit. On the front of the bill is a picture of George W. Bush and on the back there is a picture of an oil well and a picture of the White House with a lawn sign reading, "We like broccoli." Police are searching for the crook and the Dairy Queen employee is searching for her glasses.

January 30, 2001

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Thanks to Bozo News Hawk Dick Dixon for sending in today’s report. From Paso Robles, California comes the story of bozo Pablo Herrera who was most certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time. He walked into a donut shop shortly after midnight and ordered himself a jelly roll. Our bozo reached into his pocket for some money and when he pulled his hand out, a plastic baggie full of white powder also fell to the floor. He scrambled to pick it up but was quickly surrounded by the cops. Remember, it’s after midnight and he’s in a donut shop. You can be sure there were several officers there who were more than happy to bust him on suspicion of possession of drugs.

January 29, 2001

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Bozo criminal for today was really in a big hurry. From Aiken, South Carolina comes the story of bozo Tom Barker who walked into a convenience store, grabbed two cases of Budweiser and dashed out the door without paying. He threw the beer into the back of his pickup and sped off. Perhaps "sped" is to strong a word. "Sputtered" more closely describes what happened. He almost made it out of the store parking lot before his truck ran out of gas. As he was trying to get the truck started again, one of the store employees grabbed him and held him until the cops arrived.

January 26, 2001

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Thanks to Bozo News Hawk Michael Walker for sending in today’s report. From Los Angeles, California comes the story of bozo James Watson who allegedly had vandalized more than 40 locations in the last month, spray painting graffiti on them. Police had no leads until our bozo slipped up and wrote one bit of graffiti that was so foul, so politically incorrect that hundreds of women called the police to complain. The police were able to use the leads given to them to track down and arrest our bozo. And just what was it that he wrote that was so offensive that the public was up in arms against him? He revealed the one thing that every woman wants to keep private. On several public places he wrote his girlfriend’s name and beside it he wrote her weight.

January 25, 2001

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Thanks to Bozo News Hawk Tim Boylan for sending in today’s report. From Columbus, Ohio comes the story of bozo Charles Obuto who held up the Firstar Bank, fleeing on foot with his cash. The area was quickly swarming with cops and our bozo got a little scared, so he ducked into a nearby drugstore where he changed clothes in the restroom and stashed his money in the toilet tank. Suspicious store employees checked out the restroom after our bozo left and found the toilet overflowing because of the bag of cash. The police were called and were on the scene investigating when the drugstore’s phone rang. And who should it be but our bozo, asking if he could come back to the store and pick up the money he had stashed in the toilet. Sure. The cops arrested him when he arrived.