Stupid Crimes

Published February 26, 2010 5:00am ET



Paul has changed his status to ‘incarcerated’

A New York man hacked into his ex-girlfriend’s Facebook account, changed her sexual preference to gay, and demanded cash for her profile’s safe return, the New York Post reported.

But Paul Franco’s manipulations backfired when cops charged him with coercion and harassment.

Franco, 38, and his ex, Jessica Zamora-Anderson, 30, met on Facebook.

She dumped him after she learned that he wasn’t the 29-year-old English professor that he claimed to be. He threatened to reveal secretly videotaped sex sessions. He then took over her Facebook page, spamming her friends and having Zamora-Anderson agree to hook up with women.

When she figured out what was going on, he demanded $600 for release of the Facebook page.

Slumped at the pump

Three men who used a van with a false floor to siphon fuel from an underground gas tank were busted after one of them passed out from the fumes.

Phoenix police believe Robert Jeter, Jarad Desanti and George Brabakos, all in their 30s, had siphoned 200 gallons from a Circle K when the clerk received an alarm that the tank was losing a large amount of fuel.

Police found Jeter unconscious in the van. The other men were outside.

The van contained a false floor, a 450-gallon tank and equipment used to get into the gas tank.

The man parking the van next to a car with its hood up to give the appearance that the suspects were helping with car troubles, police said.

Still better than ‘Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo’

A teen was arrested on felony charges after police claimed his dance moves were so bad, they ruined the hardwood floors at a New York home.

The damage was caused when Ryan Baczkiewicz, 18, arrived at a house party held by two girls whose parents were on vacation.

He is accused of repeatedly trying to breakdance while wearing a large diamond buckle, causing $3,000 damage to the floors.

— Scott McCabe