Man Arrested With Stolen Light Pole

Police Say Pole Was Sticking Out Of Station Wagon

November 7, 2005

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A Baltimore man faces theft charges after he was spotted over the weekend driving with a 30-foot-long light pole sticking out of his station wagon.

Allen Reter, 46, was stopped by patrol officers in the 200 block of North Haven Street.

Baltimore Gas and Electric said the pole had been hit by an unknown vehicle on Pulaski Highway, near the city fire department training academy, and was taken by a motorist. It's not known when the pole was struck or when it was taken.

This was the first arrest since more than 130 light posts had been stolen throughout the city within the past six weeks.

City officials said it will cost about $72,000 to replace them.

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So, what's the strangest thing ever stolen in a case you prosecuted?

We didn't actually make it to trial (he pled out), but I had a misdemeanor theft from a pet shop. He used a phony check to buy some kind of exotic animal similar to a monkey. The best part was that he kept claiming he'd returned it, and as proof gave us a video of his kids taking the monkey in a cage up to the back door of the pet shop.

Now you have got me wanting to watch this movie again. I believe Jack Nicholson's character was initially detained for using a pipe cutter to behead parking meters.

John, are you sure you're not thinking of "Cool Hand Luke"? That was his infraction.

Man, that's a great movie. Eggs, escapes, and several "failures to communicate" -- classic!!

Not so much strange as really, really dumb. I once represented (in my private practice days) a defendant (a juvenile) accused of stealing about $20.00. From an Catholic offering box. At a cemetery. For deceased nuns. On the grounds of a convent. He and his co-defendant (his cousin) were chased down, tackled and detained by two of the Blessed Sisters of Divine Charity.

I may be mixing up the movies. Cool Hand Luke was a terrific movie--the egg scene is completely unforgetable. Do you recall what Jack Nicholson was doing in CHL that sent him into his downward spiral? One of my favorite scenes was the fishing expedition! I guess it's time to see two excellent older movies now!

It wasn't Jack Nicholson. It was Paul Newman.

Only a lawyer who's last name is Grace could credibly tell that story, John.

A couple of juvies stole a lawn mower. They wanted to make sure it worked first so they started it up and mowed a strip all the way to their house.

I had a transexual nurse stealing Botox from the medical clinic where she worked. She'd steal it and make appointments with patients after hours and give them discounted Botox injections and pocket the money herself. Not only was the case strange because 1) the defendant was a transexual (and it's hard to track down someone's complete criminal history when they've been to jail as a man AND a woman; 2) botulism toxin is a weird thing to steal; and 3) all the witnesses were so Botoxed up themselves, that they couldn't move their facial muscles appropriately so they looked like they were always lying. Sadly, the defendant died of a drug overdose before I had to resolve this hairball case.

In the movie I thought Nicholson was convicted of having sex with an underage female. I vaguely recall his explanation was "she was 15 going on 29".

I think you've got it. Jack was hooked on jailbait.

I think the Jack Nicholson movie you are rembering is "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Came out in the mid 1970's; so you are showing your age if you remember the movie. I remember it. The chief doesn't say anything until the end of the movie just before he escapes.

A zebra skin, broad sword, lady's chain mail including "thong back" bottoms and a crystal ball. Assigning value was a bit tricky too. You have no idea how expensive exotic chainmail is these days ( or at least I hope you don't) Having the Texas Renaissance Festival in your backyard makes for some interesting crime in October and November

When I was a prosecutor in East Texas I had a misdemeanor case where a guy was stealing electricity from his (absentee) neighbor. And yes, they do have electricity in East Texas. Seems this ol' boy was powering his entire home via a single (looooong) extentison cord running from his house to his neighbor's house. The neighbor got suspicious when he kept getting billed for months he was not even in the home.

What's worse is that the guy got caught and then within a few weeks, started doing it AGAIN.

Hedgehogs and iguanas, taken during a burglary of a pet shop.

A vibrator, dropped in flight from the burgled home by the suspect. And no, it was not his vibrator, but it did belong to a relative.

I had a theft case in which a woman stole a Haloween costume. The name of the costume was:"Bar Wench."

Our local Wal-Mart recently helped catch two men stealing several boxes of Passion of the Christ DVDs.

Wal-Mart nailed 'em!