26Charley Ross
The kidnapping of 4-year-old American named Charley Ross in 1874 for ransom (first in US history) became a nationwide sensation. Charley, who was never found, was lured by two men offering candy and fireworks. This incident gave rise to the warning “never take candy from strangers.”
27. In the town of F*cking in Austria, the most reported crime always was theft of the ‘F*cking’ road signs. In 2005 they were replaced with antitheft ones and CCTV cameras to deter tourists from filming sex there. The Police chief once even said, “We won't stand for F*cking signs being removed. It may be amusing…but F*cking is simply F*cking to us.”
28. A serial arsonist named John Leonard Orr worked as an arson investigator and fire captain in California. He would sometimes commit arson on his way to and from arson investigator conferences. Before his arrest, he even wrote a novel about a firefighter who was a serial arsonist.
29. In 1926, popular pianist Fats Waller (then 21) was kidnapped by Al Capone's gang to play piano for his birthday. He basically went missing for 3 days and was returned unharmed but drunk.
30. A hacker named Raphael Gray posted stolen data of over 6,500 credit cards online, claiming that the law enforcement was too incompetent to stop him. Gray's arrogance annoyed ex-hacker Chris Davis so much that he found Gray's information and informed the FBI about the crime, leading to Gray's arrest.
Latest FactRepublic Video:
15 Most Controversial & Costly Blunders in History
31John Schneeberger
When Dr. John Schneeberger was accused of sexual assault, he managed to beat three DNA tests by implanting a plastic tube filled with another man's blood in his arm. A more comprehensive test using hair and saliva samples resulted in a match. He was eventually convicted, jailed, and deported.
32. More than 5,000 babies across the United States were abducted by a supposedly charitable organization between 1924 and 1950. The group targeted poor Southern families and developed a black market for white babies.
33. Glenn K. Tripp was a D.B Cooper copycat, who hijacked a plane for a $600,000 ransom. He had his drink spiked with Valium by a flight attendant. After a 10-hour standoff, he lowered his ransom to 3 cheeseburgers and a head start on a getaway.
34. In 1937, dancer Patricia Douglas was brutally assaulted at an MGM party. Instead of bartering her silence for a studio contract or cash, Douglas went public with her story and filed a landmark lawsuit. The studio covered up the crime and destroyed her life.
35. In 1995, the Chinese government kidnapped a 6-year old Tibetan boy called the Panchen Lama and replaced him with a Han Chinese "fake Panchen". The Panchen Lama is in charge of choosing the next Dalai Lama, and the real Panchen Lama has never been heard from since.
