BUFFALO, N.Y. breathed a sigh of relief as the "Hugging Bandit" - the Queen -size pickpocket who put the squeeze on drunk men and their wallets in upstate New York - is behind bars. Myra Castleberry, 48, is being held without bail. (Not literally held, as she is well north of 200 lbs. ) For a decade, the Hugging Bandit targeted unsuspecting men outside bars distracting them by fondling them. During the process their wallets disappeared. While some men may not have complained, they did when she used their credit cards within hours of the thefts. (Don't some married men use this excuse when strange charges for escort services appear on their credit cards?)
Castleberry was arrested 17 times between 1998 and 2005 but rarely was convicted. Most victims were too drunk to identify her. (or too embarrassed?) A Tonawanda man called police to report $238 stolen by the Hugging Bandit. He picked her out of a photo array saying, "I never forget a face." (I think it more likely that one would remember her body!) Castleberry is charged with felony grand larceny. Maybe some folks really do need a hug. Perhaps Viperadvocate can mount a defense?
Update: Hugging Bandit Makes Max Top 10 Hottest... see comments!
Update: 5-24 A park visitor at Yellowstone was attacked by a grizzly bear Wednesday. A man in his late 50s, was taking photographs of bears when he was attacked. The bear apparenly learned from the Hugging Bandit that photo arrays can result in arrest!
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34 comments:
Bet Ian Coburn's book won't help me pick her up!
Iron Mike
Barbie Bandits who robbed Georgia bank discussed the robery with the media. It began as a joke. They robbed the bank wearing sunglasses and tight jeans. Now, if they had groped the teller, he might not have tripped the alarm to the police!
Jimmy
I bet if Barbie bandits were groping drunk men, no one ever would have reported the crime!
Don
You have probably read Maxim's Modified Top 10. Now for Enjoyment of Legal Pub Only, Max's Modified list...
We love you folks!
MAX's Modified Maxim Magazine 'Hot 10' for 2007. Note, Lindsay Lohan topples Eva Longoria for the coveted top spot on this years list. This eagerly anticipated 8th annual Hot 10 list is here! Longoria passes the crown off to Lindsay Lohan. However, the hot 5th grade school teacher identified on Legal Pub as only J.F. is hot on her trail! Joining Lohan and J.F. in the Top 10 are the Barbie Bandits, the Hugging Bandit and Paris Hilton.
All of the women have several things in common, a tremendous amount of buzz and heat surrounding them, undeniable beauty and a promise of greater
things to come over the next year.
1. Lindsay Lohan
2. J.F.5th Grade School Teacher
3. Scarlett Johansson
4. Christina Aguilera
5. Jessica Biel
6. Barbie Bandits (Georgia)
7. Eva Mendez
8. Hugging Bandit (N.Y.)
9. Eva Longoria
10. Paris Hilton
Max
On behalf of Legal Pub, Max, I thank you for your efforts. But I can't believe you would omit Ms. Calabaza from the list.
She's brilliant! Really, what a great strategy. I'm glad she never worked her way into my book; I don't think I could have taken another embarrassing story such as this one occurring to me. Thanks for the flattering review Legal Pub and for the discussion everyone else. I enjoyed reading the comments.
Iron Mike, I next time I will include a chapter on leverage so you can pick up women such as this one...
I always said the 5th grade teacher was hot. You going to give up her numbers?
Rob
That Hugging Bandit is a big girl. I think anyone who was victimized by her deserves free treatment for post traumatic stress disorder.
Surfer Dude
I think that Iron Mike is right on point, Ian's book won't help "pick up the Hugging Bandit" to do that you need some of Rocky's steroids!
As for her defense, Legal Pub, you hit it right on. She will likely plead these men gave her their credit cards because they all wanted her to be their "girl friend."
As for "mounting the defense" this client is too big of a climb for me.
Thanks a lot Max.
Your secret reader from L.A.
Gee thanks Legal Pub, I'm truly flattered . . .
Iron Mike said...
Hey Ian, I read your book this weekend. I stayed up all last night. At times I laughed so hard that today my ribs are sore. I played some ball in college and therefore I had the chance to meet a lot of girls. But I probably had as many failures as you did...
But in reading your book, I was able to look back on my own experiences and laugh. That is something I wish I had done back then. Education from rejection, good concept.
A chapter on leverage in your sequel would be helpful. The Hugging Bandit; however, could probably play line for the Steelers, so it better be a pretty long chapter.
Thanks again for the laughs.
Iron Mike
whoever said that the 5th grade teacher was hot eww...that my mom
Tiffany: I am 19, but very mature for my age. (I am a college soph.) Do you think your mom would be interested in me? (How old is she about 29?) How about sharing her name and phone number with a cool dude who is just trying to meet her?
Otherwise, can you get me Paris Hilton's number or maybe the Barbie Bandits. I know you are connected so how about helping a bro out?
Ralph
For the next 42 days or so, I am stuck with the ability to only make collect calls and am limited on visitors other than attorneys. For any of you lawyers that want to drop in and see me, come on over. LOL
Jail bird reader
The defense is that the charges are horse shit against the Hugging Bandit. Its similar to what happened in AUSTIN, Minn. A man included dog feces along with his payment for a parking ticket. He has now been charged with disorderly conduct in Mower County District Court.
The man's vehicle was ticketed on April 18 while it was parked in front of his residence. He put an envelope containing his payment and dog feces in a drop box at the law enforcement center. Opening the envelopes, the woman noticed one leaking a brown fluid.
The man allegedly put his dog's feces in the envelope because he was upset at the time. Now, since the Hugging Bandit thinks these charges are "horse shit," does anyone have access to some stables?
Javier
Javier, thats some bad sh*t, man.
Surfer dude
The Hugging Bandit reminds me of the kissing bandit, Morganna Roberts. She was an entertainer who became famous as the Kissing Bandit in baseball from the early 1970s through the 1980s.
Most sources agree that she was born on the Fourth of July, in 1954, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Her claim to fame is her kissing chutzpah and her enormous breasts. Her vital statistics were often reported to be 60-23-39.[1] Other uncredited reports assess her vital statistics at a less gargantuan 44-23-37. Her breasts were reported to be all-natural, which seems likely since she was so well endowed at the time of her first public appearance at the age of 17. She distinguishes herself from the dumb blonde stereotype with her wit as displayed during her appearances on Johnny Carson and David Letterman's late-night talk shows. She frequently quipped that Dolly Parton was "flat-chested" compared to her.
These are my kind of criminals...
Billie J.
I remember the kissing bandit at the ball games. She was Anna Nicole, before Anna Nicole! This brings back fond memories... oops wife just walked in, like I said Crime does not pay and must be stopped!
Iron Mike
Blond Bombshell said...
Mike, you better behave or I will tell her! I too remember (my Dad) telling me about a crazy lady who used to take off her shirt and run onto the field and try to kiss the ball players.
Now the Hugging Bandit is a different source. She is not trying to attract attention to her game, she is trying to distract her victim.
Shell
Iron Mike said...
Hey look, I have been tackled by linebackers smaller than the Hugging Bandit. Fondling her victim is not a fair statement. Like a bear, she mauled these poor drunk idiots.
Iron Mike
I would be embarrassed to admit I let this large woman fondle me...
Here just take my cash and spare me the trauma.
Will
Criminals come in all sizes and shapes. Ian is right, at least she had an original plan. It apparently worked for many years.
As for Max, thanks for your top 5, but I am not sure the Hugging Bandit belongs at the same level as the others.
New career opportunity for the hugging bandit: commercials for sub way. I would like the "thunder thighs" and the badonckadonk butt...
As recent divorcee, I really benefited from the book. The humor of the book helped me take myself a little less serious.
Naome
This story never grows old. Give me a hug so that I feel better...
Oops, I feel lighter. Lighter in the wallet.
She may have had light fingers, but that is about all that is light with her...
California Surfer Dude said...
Real life Thelma and Louise only better looking gals. I dig it. Come to the coast and rehab in the sun...
Surfer Dude
This was a huge mystery solved by the local police. Her apprehension removed a big problem for tourists.
Castleberry is the Hugging Bandit!
Castleberry is the hugging bandit, but she is not to be glorified. She was a big problem for drunk tourists. A lot of drunks sobered up to find that they needed to report their credit card as stolen. Not a good morning.
Castleberry is to be glorified! She discouraged traveling business people not to drink so much and not to cheat on their wives.
Now that she is no longer deterring street traffic, men are free to get drunk and cheat with little consequences...
Brenda
Why should we be sympathetic to drunks?
Castelberry should have been given an award. She deterred drunks from committing adultery. Makes her almost God like, does it not?
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