Two teenage burglars in the US have made the police's job significantly easier by recording footage of themselves robbing houses. Officers in Upper Darby, Philadelphia, arrested the 15 and 16-year-old suspects leaving a crime scene after they triggered a burglar alarm. In addition to around $1,000 (£601) worth of stolen goods, the police also recovered a camcorder, on which they found recordings of the two boys robbing a number of properties.

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:43:43

A police officer has attempted to dissuade a jailed burglar from his life of crime by telling him he is too ugly to be an effective crook. David Holyoak, who is nicknamed Shrek, has commenced a three-and-a-half year jail sentence after being arrested as part of a gang which stole £6,000 from a Preston bank. However, the unnamed officer has told the thief that his capture was inevitable due to his status as "one of the ugliest robbers in the country".

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:02:24

A team of Antarctic Heritage Trust workers are embarking on a mission in the frozen continent to recover a precious stash of lost whisky. The explorers have been commissioned by drinks company Whyte & Mackay to find a frozen hoard of 100-year-old McKinlay and Co. booze, which was abandoned at Cape Royds by the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Crates were discovered in 2006 beneath a hut in Cape Royds used by Sir Ernest in 1909, but the whisky proved to be too deeply embedded in the ice to recover it.

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:09:49

A library in Arizona is celebrating an unexpected windfall after two overdue books were returned - along with a fine of $1,000 (£598). The Audobon Society books, which were checked out in 1959, made their way back to the Camelback High School in Phoenix along with an anonymous letter and a sizeable money order. According to the note, the borrower had accidentally packed the two books away before moving to another state and had calculated that fines for the two books should now amount to $745.

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:05:47

A man from Leicester has set a Guinness World Record after pulling a double-decker bus more than 20 metres using only his hair. Manjit Singh, 59, dragged the 8.5 tonne vehicle for 21.2 metres during his record-breaking attempt at Battersea Park in south London. Security consultant Mr Singh, who is nicknamed "Ironman" in honour of his past feats of strength, was tethered to the vehicle using ribbons attached to his hair.

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:44:23

A Peruvian man is considering making a career out of eating metal, despite his love of nails landing him in hospital. Requelme Abanto was rushed to hospital after suffering abdominal pains last week, with doctors initially suspecting he had appendicitis, reports The Associated Press. However, they soon discovered the reason for his condition was much more unusual - his stomach contained nails, coins and copper wire he had eaten to impress friends.

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:51:50

A Milwaukee man has gained an unexpected advantage from his status as a US Army reservist after receiving an apology from muggers who had attempted to rob him. The unnamed man was accosted in an alleyway by a group of robbers as he walked home one night and made to hand over his wallet, mobile phone and other belongings. However, when the thieves saw the reservist's ID, they quickly became apologetic, with the gang's leader expressing respect for his military role, reports the Associated Press.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:47:26

Veteran competitive eater Joey Chestnut has set a new world record for meatball eating after guzzling 50 in ten minutes at a Las Vegas contest. Mr Chestnut scoffed 6.25 lb worth of meat at the Martorano's Masters Meatball Eating Championship to establish the benchmark and scoop the title of Martorano's Meatball Champion. To win the Major League Eating contest, Mr Chestnut had to fend off stiff competition from top eaters such as Pat 'Deep Dish' Bertoletti, who finished just one meatball behind.

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:29:11

A woman from Portsmouth has been identified as having a rare phobia of vegetables, which has left her terrified at the very sight of a carrot or pea. Vicki Larrieux, a 22-year-old student, suffers from lachanophobia, an affliction which causes thousands in Britain to experience panic attacks simply by being in the presence of greens. Ms Larrieux stated that she has always found vegetables to be unpleasant and would "freak out" as a child should any appear on her plate.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:20:18

It was a case of 950th time lucky for South Korean grandmother Cha Sa-soon as she finally passed the first part of her driving test. The 68-year-old decided in 2005 that she needed a car to help her business. However, learning to drive proved to be tougher than she had anticipated and her first attempt at the written part of the test ended in failure.

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:20:57