Weird News: Wild Dogs Hunted; Faucets Pilfered

As a local news organization, Patch covers stories of all kinds, from heartbreaking tragedies to inspiring tales of community brotherhood. But some stories are just plain weird. Here are some of the stranger headlines from the past seven days.

Traps Set for Pack of Wild Dogs

Town of Hempstead Animal Control has set traps for a pack of wild dogs spotted around the Five Towns.

The three or four dogs, which resemble foxes, have ripped up garbages bags and attacked pets, squirrels, rabbits and foxes, according to Guy Bove, animal control supervisor. No humans have reported being attacked.

Bove said that animal control officers have tracked the dogs from the Atlantic Beach Bridge to East Rockaway. They believe the dogs are living on a marshland across a canal at Dolphin Road in Hewlett Neck.

4 Women Arrested for Stealing Faucets

It must be winter cleaning time.

Four women were arrested Nov. 19 at Home Depot in Commack when they allegedly stole faucets from the home improvement store.

Wendy Booker, 41, of Wyandanch; Debra Pure, 49, of Farmingdale; Chandra Alker, 48, of Bay Shore and Gina DiDomenico, 26, of Lindenhurst were charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree, a felony, after police said they stole the equipment from the Jericho Turnpike store at 11:42 a.m.

Sag Harbor Man Gets Apology for 35-Year-Old Mugging

A 53-year-old man, who once mugged a fellow teen in New York City nearly four decades ago, offered up his apologies when he noticed the man's name in a comments thread on a social media site.

The story went viral after The New York Post reported on the 35-year-old apology.

The one-time victim is Claude Soffel, a 52-year-old who lives in Sag Harbor, The Post reported.

Owner Turns In Illegal Alligator

A 2-foot baby alligator was rescued from a Miller Place home last week after the owner called the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The owner, who remains unnamed, did not want to face fines or other illegal charges for keeping the animal in their home.

Fines include $250 per illegal animal and/or up to a year in prison.

According to Suffolk SPCA Chief Roy Gross, the owner just missed a reptile amnesty event that was held at the Selden Petco store in September. This event is like an open house. All animals are allowed to be dropped off no questions asked, no fines.

Police: Man Arrested For Hiding Cash Register

A cash register stolen from a Patchogue beauty center was allegedly being hidden by a 34-year-old man from Newark, N.J. riding on the Long Island Rail Road Tuesday morning, Suffolk County police said.

According to police, Cory Ford was arrested at around 11:50 a.m. by Metropolitan Transit Authority officers responding to a call about a man acting suspiciously on a Penn Station-bound LIRR train. When officers approached Ford near the Jamaica station, police say they discovered the cash register. The register was later found by fifth squad detectives to be the one stolen from Eloisa Beauty Center, 122 Medford Ave. in Patchogue, Monday night around 9:30 p.m.