The Weird Week in Review

Donkey Not Reliable Getaway Vehicle

Three thieves dropped in through the roof and robbed a store at 2AM in Juan de Acosta, Colombia. They took rum and a variety of food and loaded the goods onto their getaway vehicle -a donkey they had stolen earlier. However, the donkey, a 10-year-old animal named Xavi, did not want to cooperate and began braying loudly. The commotion drew the attention of police in the small town, and the thieves fled on foot. The stolen items and the donkey were returned to their respective owners.

Goat Cheese Fire Closes Tunnel

A truck carrying 27 tonnes of Brunost, a caramelized brown goat milk cheese, caught fire as it traveled through the Brattli Tunnel at Tysfjord, Norway. The driver abandoned the vehicle about 1,000 feet from the tunnel's end. The fire burned for five days straight, while toxic fumes kept firefighters at a distance. No one was injured in the incident, but the tunnel may remain closed for several weeks.

Welsh Tourist Wrestles Australian Shark

Paul Marshallsea of Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, was barbecuing at Bulcock Beach in Australia when he heard bathers yell "Shark!" The 62-year-old tourist saw a shark approaching children and ran into the water, grabbed the shark, and pulled it away from the youngsters.

Helicopters and lifesavers on water bikes later lured the shark out to sea with the tide. An Australian coastguard spokesman said: "We don't recommend manhandling sharks but this gentleman did a great job."

The six-foot dusky shark snapped at Marshallsea's leg, but missed by a fraction of an inch. A nearby TV crew caught the action on video.

Live Otters Found in Unclaimed Luggage

A suitcase was left unclaimed in the oversize luggage area of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on Tuesday. There were no identifying tags on the bag, so customs officers opened it and found 11 juvenile otters -alive! They were identified as six Smooth Coated Otters and five Oriental Small Clawed Otters. Wildlife traffic investigators in Asia said they have seen otter skins being smuggled, but this is the first case of live otters intercepted in transit. The otters were sent to the Bang-Pra Breeding Center in Chonburi.

Chicken Wing Shortage May Affect Super Bowl Parties

The day of the Super Bowl is the second-biggest day for eating in America, ranked just behind Thanksgiving. A game day staple, the chicken wing, will be scarcer and more expense this year. Chicken producers raised fewer birds this year due to the high price of feed corn, which was affected by the nationwide drought. Only 1.23 billion wing segments will be available on Super Bowl weekend, which is 12.3 million less than the number consumed last year. The wholesale price of chicken wings is at an all-time high, at $2.11 a pound in the northeast.

Boy Fakes Kidnapping to Hide Bad Grades

An unidentified 11-year-old boy in Xinzo de Limia, Spain, sent his father a text message to say he'd been kidnapped. When the father called the son's phone, the boy whispered that he'd been grabbed off the street and put in the back seat of a car. The father, a policeman, issued a nationwide alert and authorities set up roadblocks across the region. Within a few hours, the child was found hiding in an empty apartment.

The boy explained that he had come up with the elaborate ruse to stop his parents talking to his teacher in a meeting scheduled for that afternoon fearing that they would be angry over his recent poor grades.