On Oct. 14, three masked individuals approached the front door of a home in Alexandria, Virginia, rang the video doorbell and began threatening the woman who answered, WJLA 7 News reported. The terrified resident called her brother, who arrived with a handgun less than two minutes after the trio left, and then the police, who began an investigation. News of the unsettling incident had the community on edge until Oct. 27, when Alexandria Chief of Police Tarrick McGuire announced during a press conference that the culprits had been found and that the whole thing was a prank -- the masked would-be intruders were actually the teenage sons and nephew of an adult related to the victim. "For me, my team and this community, it represents a moral failure," McGuire told a gathering of the press. "A moral failure where consequences could result in deadly consequences." After consulting with attorneys and the victim, the decision was made not to press charges. [WJLA, 10/27/2025]

Standing Room Only

Spanish police announced on Oct. 22 that they had arrested a group of criminals for stealing chairs -- more than 1,100 chairs, to be more precise. The New York Post reported that the thieves, six men and a woman who did the pilfering under cover of darkness, had stolen the chairs from the outdoor seating areas of 18 different restaurants and bars throughout Madrid and a nearby municipality during August and September. Police said the chairs were resold in Spain, Morocco and Romania, and estimated the impact at about 60,000 euros ($69,000). The gang will face charges of theft and belonging to a criminal organization. [New York Post, 10/22/2025]

Brief Thief

Tempted to return to the scene of the crime once too often, a suspect has been identified in a rash of women's underwear heists, The Pattaya News reported on Oct. 31. The crimes have all taken place in the same apartment complex in the district of Phan Thong (no pun intended), Chonburi, Thailand. The most recent victim, also the owner of the complex, installed cameras after complaints about the perp's previous capers, and sure enough, in the wee hours of Oct. 29 after she had hung her unmentionables out to dry, a man casually walked up and claimed another trophy. Police say they have collected additional evidence in the cases and expect to apprehend the thief in short order. [The Pattaya News, 10/31/2025]

Unnatural

Researchers in Germany have, for the first time ever, captured video of brown rats (also known as Norway rats) actively hunting bats, Popular Science reported on Oct. 30. The freaky footage, made available to the public concurrently with a study recently published in the scientific journal Global Ecology and Conservation, shows the rats stationing themselves at the openings of hibernation sites in the towns of Segeburg and Luneberg-Kalkberg, where the researchers had set up thermal and infrared cameras to monitor the bats' activities. The rats, which are effectively blind when hunting at night, pounced on bats climbing to the sanctuaries, and were even able to nab their prey in midair. The authors of the study issued a call for action: "Management of invasive rodents at important bat hibernation sites supports biodiversity conservation and reduces potential public health impacts." [Popular Science, 10/30/2025]

Just Had to Know

Friends, acquaintances and other mourners at a funeral in Konchi, a village in Bihar, India, were stunned when Mohan Lal, the man whose funeral they were attending, rose and began taking part in the rituals of the Hindu service. Metro UK reported that the 74-year-old Lal, a retired Air Force veteran, is well-respected in Konchi for his work within the community -- which, oddly enough, includes helping to fund and build a crematorium for the rainy seasons -- but all of that goodwill didn't stop Lal from carrying through his plan. "I wanted to witness it myself and see how much respect and affection people give me," Lal said. Reactions varied from shock to confusion to relief, but Lal was able to calm things down by throwing a feast for the attendees. [Metro UK, 10/18/2025]

Just Dropping By

As staff at the Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California, performed inspections in the early morning of Oct. 17, they were surprised by the presence of an unexpected visitor -- a wild American black bear, leaning on the gate to the park's bear habitat. In a Facebook post from the zoo, the wild bear was described as "a very polite visitor" that was observed interacting nonaggressively with resident bears Tule, Ishung and Kunabulilh. The zoo called in the Eureka Police Department and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the bear was escorted out of the park and back into the nearby woods. " We respond to bear calls within the city of Eureka quite often," state department spokesperson Peter Tira told the LA Times, "but having a wild bear get into the zoo is a first." [LA Times, 10/21/2025]

It's the Even Greater Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

In a rare case of a pumpkin DOING the smashing, a Utah man used a 1-ton gourd to destroy his 1991 Geo Metro. Alan Gebert, a pumpkin farmer, had driven the car for nearly 35 years, KMPH reported on Oct. 29, but it had finally given out. Such a trusty vehicle deserved a memorable send-off, so Gebert devised one: death by prize-winning produce, dropped from a height of about 14 stories. Before sealing the Geo's fate, the pumpkin in question won first place at the Utah Giant Pumpkin Festival, weighing in at 1,917 pounds. [KMPH, 10/29/2025]

I Hope that Someone Gets My ...

After more than a century, letters from two World War I soldiers will soon be in the hands of their families, ABC Australia reported Oct. 27. Debra Brown and her family were cleaning up a beach near their hometown in Western Australia when they found an old bottle, which turned out to contain letters -- dated 1916 -- from Private Malcolm Alexander Neville and Private William Kirk Harley. The two were shipping out to serve their country, and jettisoned the bottle "somewhere in the (Great Australian) Bight," per one of the letters. Social media did its thing, and Brown was soon connected to relatives of both soldiers. Private Neville's records show that even though he was initially discharged due to his poor eyesight, he reenlisted in the service corps a week later. "I think that just shows you his character, how determined he was," said the private's great-nephew, Herbie Neville. Sadly, Private Neville was killed in action in France at the age of 28. His compatriot, Private Harley, did make it home; his granddaughter Ann Turner said finding the letters "feels like a miracle" for her family: "We are all absolutely stunned." [ABC, 10/27/2025]

Monkey Business

It isn’t uncommon to see costume shops across the country packed with last-minute shoppers in the days before Halloween. Usually, it's people clambering over the racks of capes, masks and vampire teeth, but NBCDFW reported that on Oct. 27, in a Spirit Halloween store in Plano, Texas, a pet primate got loose. The monkey, clad in a diaper, became scared by animatronics and escaped its leash, running past shoppers, climbing shelves and swinging from the rafters. “It was entertaining,” store employee Jimmy Harris said. “A lot of people just stood and watched it for like 30 minutes, the whole time, they were like, ‘monkey,’ and we had kids trying to catch it.” Police were called and, after being offered a cookie, the monkey was re-leashed and returned to its owner, with no humans or monkeys harmed. [NBCDFW, 10/28/2025]

On Oct. 18 in Bangkok, Thailand, Pittaya Moolin, 51, was arrested as he conducted a delicate procedure in the backseat of his vintage Toyota Corolla, the Daily Mail reported. Moolin, also known as Chang Yai Modify, allegedly offered genital enhancement treatments to men in the region in spite of the fact that he is not licensed to perform such services. He promoted his business on TikTok, offering penis enlargement, circumcision and pearl implantations, saying he learned how to do the surgeries by watching social media videos. "I became interested in this kind of work, so I studied and developed it as a side hustle to supplement my income," he said. Authorities found no sterilizing equipment in the makeshift operating theater, but they did find local anesthetics, surgical blades, needles and other equipment. He was charged with practicing medicine without registration and authorization, which could land him in prison for three years. [Daily Mail, 10/21/2025]

Animal Antics

Ray Ray the cat clearly did not want to be left behind when his family left their home in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, for Keene, New Hampshire, on Sept. 26, The Washington Post reported. After driving about 100 miles, Tony Denardo, Ray Ray's owner, stopped the family van for a bathroom break and discovered the 8-year-old cat clinging to the vehicle's roof. "How did this cat stay on there?" wondered Tony's wife, Margaret. "And he was completely unfazed." The family believe Ray Ray lodged himself in between luggage strapped to the van's top as they sped along the interstates. The Denardos leaned in, stopping at a pet store for a leash, harness, backpack and food for Ray Ray, and he joined the adventure. Tony carried him across the finish line at a marathon in Keene, and Ray Ray "seemed to really like Times Square at night," Margaret said of their stop in New York City. She plans to write a children's book about her pet's adventure. [Washington Post, 10/15/2025]

Suspicions Confirmed

You may have heard that gold prices are at an all-time high, so it's no wonder people are willing to go to extreme lengths to get their hands on it. Or, in this case, their private parts. Three women from Hong Kong were arrested in Japan on Oct. 20 for trying to smuggle about 8 kilograms of gold powder in their underwear, The Mainichi reported. The women were recruited by Masamori Nishimura, 34, they said, to conceal pouches of gold powder on a flight bound for Tokyo last summer. The precious metal was valued at about $650,000. The smugglers' payment? Cash and travel expenses. [The Mainichi, 10/21/2025]

The Passing Parade

Kira Cousins, 22, of Airdrie, Scotland, allegedly misled family and friends for months about her pregnancy and the Oct. 10 birth of her daughter, Bonnie-Leigh Joyce, the Daily Star reported on Oct. 20. She wore a prosthetic baby bump and introduced a plastic Reborn doll as her newborn -- even to the baby's supposed dad. Cousins also claimed the baby girl had health problems including a heart defect, which was why she wouldn't allow anyone to hold her. When her mom discovered the doll, Cousins messaged the would-be dad that Bonnie-Leigh had passed away, but the deception was soon revealed. "Everybody believed her," said friend Neave McRobert. "We were all so happy. I feel totally used and drained." Another friend said she had "noticed straight away that her bump wasn't real. You could see the straps on her back holding it on." Cousins declined to comment. [Daily Star, 10/20/2025]

Inexplicable

Residents of the Rockridge area of Oakland, California, are on high alert, KTVU-TV reported, after someone keeps throwing rocks through home windows. The attacks have been going on for almost a year. Luis Aguirre said his home was targeted three weeks ago, after which he installed security cameras. On Oct. 6, video caught the man throwing a rock through Aguirre's car window. "We got footage of the individual who did it," he said. "Just aimlessly walking in the middle of the street." Another homeowner said her duplex was hit six times in the last year. Neighbors have spent thousands of dollars repairing the damage. Oakland Police are investigating but can't confirm that the incidents are related. [KTVU, 10/16/2025]

What's in a Name?

When police responded to a call from a home in Crawford County, Kansas, on Oct. 18, they found a red pickup truck that had been stolen earlier in the week, KAKE-TV reported. Officers were told that the truck had pulled into the property and the driver had asked the resident for gasoline, and to "not call the cops." So they called the cops. The driver, Michael Jackson -- "and not the one who sang Billie Jean," they said -- was arrested for possessing stolen property. [KAKE, 10/19/2025]

Compelling Explanation

The trial began on Oct. 17 in Houston for Kristina Chambers, 34, who is accused of manslaughter, the Houston Chronicle reported. In 2023, Joseph McMullin, 33, was leaving a doughnut store with a date when he was struck and killed by Chambers' Porsche 911 Carrera. Police said Chambers was four times over the legal alcohol limit and had baggies of cocaine in her car and purse, and they estimated she was driving about 70 mph when she hit McMullin. He was thrown about 30 feet and died at the scene. Chambers' attorney, Mark Thiessen, however, posited that it was Chambers' Christian Louboutin shoes that caused the accident, claiming the heel got stuck on the car's gas pedal. Chambers could serve up to 20 years in prison if she is convicted. [Houston Chronicle, 10/17/2025]

Nature Gone Wild

Residents of Christmas Island, about 900 miles from Australia, are carrying rakes in their cars and avoiding driving at certain times as the annual red crab migration begins, ABC reported on Oct. 21. Each year, 100 million crabs leave their forest burrows and make their way to the ocean, where they lay eggs. "We have to put rakes in our cars and leaf blowers to ensure the crabs have a safe passage," said Christmas Island National Park acting manager Alexia Jankowski. "A lot of people, if they can, will work from home," said resident Megs Powell. "It's one of the most amazing wildlife experiences you can see on the planet," said Oliver Lines, director of community services. [ABC, 10/21/2025]

News You Can Use

Denise Bacon, 65, of East Sussex, England, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2014, The Washington Post reported. The condition affected her ability to walk, swim, dance and play the clarinet. Doctors at London's King's College Hospital recently revealed that Bacon underwent deep brain stimulation in July -- and played her clarinet during the procedure. As she played, doctors stimulated her brain, one electrode at a time. Neurosurgeon Keyoumars Ashkan said the effects could be seen immediately. As the right side of her brain was stimulated, he said, her left fingers were "flying," while her right-hand fingers were "stiff and slow and couldn't move." Bacon is "delighted" with the outcome and said she's "keen to get back in the swimming pool, and on the dance floor to see if my abilities have improved there." [Washington Post, 10/22/2025]

Saw That Coming

An accidental shooting left an 89-year-old woman with an injury to one of her legs on Oct. 20 in Flanders, New Jersey, the Daily Record reported. It happened at Frank's Pizza, where 70-year-old William H. Schmieding was having dinner with two friends. Schmieding unholstered his handgun and moved to clear the ammunition from it, but a bullet was fired, ricocheted off a chair and struck the woman. Schmieding, of White House Station, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, violating safe carry firearm requirements, and prohibited carrying of a firearm. [Daily Record, 10/21/2025]

On Oct. 10, during the 9 a.m. Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, an unidentified man climbed the Altar of Confession, dropped his pants to his ankles and urinated on the site, the Mirror reported. Hundreds of tourists looked on as plainclothes officers approached him; the Holy Pee-er was quickly removed from the premises after flashing a full moon at the gathered masses. Pope Leo was reportedly "shocked"; it was unclear whether he or another officiant was leading the service. [Mirror, 10/12/2025]

The Foreign Press

France's national postal service, aptly named La Poste, released a croissant-scented stamp on Oct. 8, France24 reported. Nearly 600,000 of the fragrant marks are intended to honor the "emblem of French gastronomy," the postal service gushed. "I had a stock of 1,000 stamps available," said Valence post office director Anthony Richet. "And on the first day, more than 400 stamps were already gone." The stickers can also be used for international mail. [France24, 10/8/2025]

Didn't See That Coming

Zimbabwean opposition lawmaker and poet Desire Moyo, 45, lost his life in a bizarre accident in the early morning hours of Oct. 10, the BBC reported. As Moyo and four others drove along the Bulawayo-Gweru highway, they crashed into an elephant. The other occupants of the car were injured; one of them said the elephant was struck on its backside, after which it turned around and started fighting the car. It is believed the elephant's reaction did the most damage and led to Moyo's demise. [BBC, 10/10/2025]

Questionable Judgment

Congregants at Legacy Faith Church in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 28 were confronted by their pastor, Phillip Thornton, wearing and wielding an assault-style rifle to illustrate his points during his sermon. WHP-TV reported that Thornton used the firearm to symbolize "clearing the room," or using spiritual violence against unbelief. At times, Thornton pointed the gun at the congregation, with a laser bouncing off church members. The church released a statement after concerns were brought to light, saying the gun was "disabled (firing pin removed), cleared and publicly shown to be ammo free." But Thornton also said, "I could get you, any one of you." The statement closed with gratitude for bringing "great attention" to the church. After all, there's no such thing as bad publicity. [WHP, 10/10/2025]

Ewwwww

First of all, apparently in the United Kingdom, ladybugs are called ladybirds. Regardless, one woman is fighting an epic battle against the cute spotted beetles in Hertfordshire, the Daily Star reported on Oct. 10. Lois Mallett-Walker's home has been invaded by "around 300" ladybugs, where they're covering her curtains, windows and walls. And, she said, "One peed on me and it stank." The 35-year-old tried to shoo the bugs outdoors but ended up vacuuming up some of them. "I love ladybugs, but it was far too many in my house for me." [Daily Star, 10/10/2025]

Fake News

Megan Ashlee Davis is a college student in Texas, Chron.com reported on Oct. 10. She is not a server at an Olive Garden in St. Louis, and she didn't get arrested for assault after throwing a basket of breadsticks at a customer. But Davis' life has been turned upside down since a Facebook account called Pure videos posted a (real) mug shot of Davis and claimed she had retaliated for a bad tip by tossing the treats at a diner. "It's probably like my worst nightmare coming to reality," Davis said. She admitted that the mug shot came from a night in August, soon after her mother died, when she was arrested for public intoxication. But this recent post has garnered harassing and creepy comments. "People are disgusting out there -- and scary," she said. "I feel small. Like, how do I even fix this?" [Chron.com, 10/10/2025]

But Why?

Wannabe magistrate Wilber Mateo, 45, of Kansas City, Missouri, was charged with burglary and stealing from a Jackson County, Missouri, courtroom, KSHB-TV reported. Surveillance cameras spotted Mateo inside the courthouse in Independence on Oct. 2 around 3:30 p.m. After speaking with workers there, he slipped into parts of the courthouse that are not covered by the cameras. Around 7:30 p.m., he was recorded entering a courtroom, where he apparently spent the night. The next morning, a witness saw Mateo and alerted officers; they found him wearing a judge's robes and carrying three bags. Inside the bags were a small brass dog statue, pens and a sticky note with login credentials on it -- along with three laptops, data storage, electronic devices and other office supplies. Mateo said he planned to sell the items to the highest bidder. [KSHB, 10/6/2025]

Unconventional Weapon

Former strip club employee Jordan Cotto, 26, arrived at Atlantis Gentlemen's Club in Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 10, hoping to "speak with management," The Smoking Gun reported. Instead, he got involved in a verbal argument and grabbed a cheeseburger from his car, which he hurled at a male victim. The victim was unharmed, but police spoke with Cotto, who said he "did throw a cheeseburger from his vehicle" and "would do it again." Cotto was arrested for battery and eventually released on his own recognizance. [The Smoking Gun, 10/13/2025]

Special Delivery

Blake Michael Kuhlman, 26, a contract driver for Amazon, was arrested for first-degree assault after an incident in an Everett, Washington, apartment complex mailroom on Oct. 3. KRCG-TV reported that Kuhlman and a USPS carrier were in the room when an altercation took place, resulting in the mail carrier being shot in the head. Kuhlman admitted shooting the man, who will survive but lost an eye, because he said the man "was trying to charge at him while he was cornered." Kuhlman was allegedly armed with two guns, a large knife and a bulletproof vest; he told police that he had been attacked on numerous occasions and that he is being "cyberstalked" by the mafia. Kuhlman said he believed the postal worker might have been a "mafia assassin." His bond was set at $1 million. [KRCG, 10/7/2025]

Look What I Found!

-- When Erin Scott O'Brien sold her home in New Orleans in 2018, she left behind a marble tablet given to her by her grandparents, the Associated Press reported on Oct. 11. The "cool-ass piece of art" in her garden was covered by weeds until the current owner, Daniella Santoro, was cleaning up and found it. Santoro alerted her colleague at Tulane University, anthropologist Susann Lusnia, who identified the slab as a 1,900-year-old grave marker of a Roman sailor, Sextus Congenius Verus. He had died at age 42 after more than two decades of service in the imperial navy. More research revealed that the marker had been missing from the National Archeological Museum in Civitavecchia, Italy, since World War II. Now, the FBI is working with Italian authorities to send the tablet home. [AP, 10/11/2025]

-- Ann Vincent Walter of Hale County, Texas, was getting ready for work on Oct. 2 when her son, Hayden, called out to her, United Press International reported. He had spotted what appeared to be a weather balloon over their farm north of Lubbock, but when it landed, they discovered it was a mysterious piece of equipment attached to a parachute. Walter alerted the Hale County Sheriff's Office, who had already heard from NASA about a missing object. NASA said it was part of the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, which was conducting experiments to help aid the accuracy of telescopes, but after launching from Fort Sumner, New Mexico, it had been blown off course. The CSBF collected the equipment, and Walter and her family got a day of adventure. [UPI, 10/14/2025]