Chattering Lorries

Headline writers in Cincinnati have been blessed by one of those perenial crooks-are-stupid stories involving the theft of exotic birds. Five lorikeets and one chattering lory were among the victims.

The two crooks were captured while trying to offload their contraband at an exotic bird show in Sharonville, Ohio. The creatures had been snatched from the bird room at the Newport Aquarium, while the staff had been busy giving a demonstation to a tour group. A videotape showed the crooks "struggling with something under their coats".

But even without the videotape their plan was eventually doomed. Lorikeets are a type of parrot, and there are some very strict comedy rules about acts of crime that take place around birds that talk.