2009 Christmas crime roundup

Well, Christmas is over.  Sure, today's almost as big a shopping day as Black Friday, but the mall Santas have headed home and I'm sure there are plenty of people who can't wait to get that tree out to the curb.  While many of us experience a post-Christmas letdown, at least we can be secure in the knowledge that Santa-related crime drops steeply after December 25.

William C. Caldwell III started this year's Christmas crime wave with his elfin bomb threat at the beginning of December.

Meet 19 year old Tricia Kennelly of Carmel, Indiana:

For reasons known only to herself and the voices in her head, Ms. Kennelly attacked Santa Claus outside Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.  After ripping the beard from Santa's face and snatching the wig off his head, she walked a short distance away and was arrested.  Alcohol was involved.

Police in Tennessee are searching for a man who robbed a Sun Trust bank at gunpoint, while dressed in a full Santa costume.  Bad Santa told witnesses that he needed the cash to "pay his elves".  The getaway vehicle was described not as a sled, but as a mid-size gray auto.

On a creepier note, 46 year old Anthony Russo was arrested by police in Parma, Ohio after he tried to abduct a 12 year old girl--while dressed in a Santa suit, complete with a red sack full of candy canes.

Here's a little something for you history buffs: the nation's worst known incident of Santa crime occurred in Cisco, Texas on December 23, 1927.  Ex-con Marshall Ratliff dressed in a full Santa costume, and accompanied by a trio of accomplices robbed the First National Bank.  The robbery degenerated into hostage-taking and a running gun battle involving the robbers, police and a crowd of armed citizens.  Hundreds of shots were fired, 8 people were wounded and 6 killed.  The incident became known as the Santa Claus Bank Robbery. 

Ratliff was found guilty of the bank robbery and sentenced to 99 years in prison, and was later found guilty of murder and sentenced to die in March 1928.  Ratliff feigned insanity to avoid the death penalty.  In November 1928, while awaiting execution, he killed one of his jailers in an escape attempt.  He was subsequently dragged from jail by an angry mob and hanged in the street.