Caped Crusader

A Cleveland man may have to answer to police and quite possibly a higher authority for his recent crime spree. The unidentified man is wanted for three carjacking incidents and the theft of two church garments — one of which was a purple cape taken off a statue of Jesus. According to a police report, the suspect ransacked a local church and stole a black liturgical robe and the cape. He draped the garments around his body and wore a stolen black motorcycle helmet to hide his face. He then attempted a getaway by stealing a car.

The man allegedly began frantically making the sign of the cross when he approached the first vehicle. However, he fled when the car’s frightened occupants refused to exit the vehicle and instead activated its alarm system. Police arrived at the scene just as the carjacker sped away. The report said the suspect led police on a chase, but officers were unable to apprehend him.
 

Gender Injustice

A violinist who claims the New York Philharmonic fired him because he is a man says some of the women who were promoted ahead of him gave flowers and other gifts to their bosses. Anton Polezhayev, 29, says in a lawsuit that he was asked to leave after the 2003–2004 season, in the last month of his 17-month probation, despite being told by orchestra officials that he was doing ‘a fine job’ and that his playing was ‘perfect’.

Meanwhile, it is alleged that seven female violinists won permanent jobs or were promoted over him, although some had less experience than he had, or had not auditioned for the positions and that some of the women’s progress was accomplished by giving gifts, including flowers and champagne, to musical director Lorin Maazel and Glenn Dicterow, the concertmaster or principal violinist. According to the orchestra’s website, 20 of the Philharmonic’s 33 violinists, are women.

Robbing in Style

As far as disguises go, a South Carolina bank robbery suspect’s choice was stylish and hard to miss.

After Booker Boyd allegedly held up a local bank in Columbia on 6 July, witnesses had no difficulty giving police a description of the suspect. They told officers to look for a mustachioed man wearing a black dress with red flowers and a matching red straw hat.

According to a local media report, Boyd entered the bank and gave the teller a note demanding money. After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, he fled in a stolen car but was apprehended just minutes later because he had not changed out of his disguise. According to the report, Boyd is also a suspect in two other area bank robberies, in which his disguises were considerably less, erm, eye-catching.

Stop Toying Around

Exasperated Canadian air safety officials have told passengers ‘to leave their water pistols and toy guns at home’ because they were triggering big delays at airport security. Screening staff found nearly 3,000 toy guns, water pistols, toy grenades and other items resembling real weapons between January and June of this year, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority said. According to the authorities, the interception of prohibited items at Canadian airport security checkpoints caused delays totalling 15,000 hours last year.