Why You Shouldn't Hide From the Cops in a Chimney

'Tis the season for people doing stupid stuff, or at least stupider stuff than usual, which brings us the tale of a man in Fall River, Massachusetts, trying to creatively evade police. As WCVB reports, police were trying to execute a search warrant at a home there when two men escaped to the roof. The police department puts it thusly with a cheeky nod to Santa Claus:

• "(One man) invoked the essence of the seasonal icon and attempted to hide inside of a chimney. (He) quickly became stuck in the chimney and required the assistance of the very detectives he was previously fleeing."

This also necessitated a rescue squad, who pulled 33-year-old Robert Langlias from his hidey-hole. "Due to his Santa-antics, Langlais was transported to a local hospital out of precaution and was medically cleared," say police. What he wasn't cleared of: charges of possession of Class A drugs, possession of Class B drugs, "and a slew of charges from outstanding warrants." People reports that the other man escaped by jumping off the roof onto a car and fleeing the scene. A third person was not so lucky: "Also present and arrested, with less theatrics," on charges of possession of Class A and B drugs was 32-year-old Tanisha Ibay, say police. (More dumb criminals stories.)