Three GIs based in Germany charged in crime spree

[saigon68]

Officials estimate damage from arson, thefts at 1 million euros

By Terry Boyd, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Tuesday, August 16, 2005


http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=30967

BAUMHOLDER, Germany — Three Baumholder-based soldiers — at least two of whom are AWOL — have been charged in a mini-crime wave that resulted in about 1 million euros in damages.

That spree includes setting a fire Thursday that severely damaged the local city government building, or Rathaus, the theft of Army computers and an attack on a German taxi driver, German police said Monday

The arson was just one incident that happened Wednesday evening and ran into the early morning hours on Thursday. Investigators believe four U.S. soldiers, including the three arrested in the Rathaus fire, took a cab to Baumholder from Idar-Oberstein, about 20 miles northeast. The taxi driver said the group went to several locations in Baumholder, changing their minds several times, according to police.

Finally, when they told him they wanted to pay the fare and the cabbie took out his change purse, one of the soldiers grabbed him from behind, choking him, Meyer said. The soldiers then stole about 200 euros from the man, Meyer said.

When you train them to be thugs and murderers--It sometimes backfires

Wait until these sweet hearts get back to the ZI

[SouthernDem2004]

1. Guess I missed that training myself.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

2. What's this "MINI" designation about?

At a million Euros, I'd say it's a bigger spree than that... :shrug:

[Javaman]

4. Mini is small font in the lower corner of the newspaper...

Major is a headline...

Can't have members of morons* new recruitment policy being badmouthed.

[saigon68]

8. There's nothing mini about One million Euros.

[WhiteTara]

3. so, do you think that the soldiers are going

nuts like this because they are angry and bored, or what? Testosterone poisoning?

[classysassy]

5. One way to keep out of harms way

I don't suspose they will be going to Iraq.?

[saigon68]

6. Maybe they went there once or twice already?

[VegasWolf]

7. All they need to do is give half those euros to the Bush's and they are

living large!!

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. More good news from our "heros" in uniform.