Recycling crime:The San Pedro News-Pilot reported the...

Recycling crime:

The San Pedro News-Pilot reported the case of a bicyclist who was pulled over for a traffic violation, fled on foot and was finally captured on a roof. When police brought him back to earth, they discovered that his bicycle had been stolen.

NOT FAR FROM HERMOSA TRENCH: While vacationing in London, South Bay resident Jay Berman noticed that his theater ticket showed some real contempt for his hometown (see accompanying).

LETTERS IMPERFECT: The slap at Manhattan Beach is the latest civic misspelling we’ve collected over the years. Some others that readers came across in their correspondence:

* “Stud City” for Studio City (sent by George Bromberg)

* “Stupid City” for Studio City (Randy Randall)

* “Los Angeles Jolla” for La Jolla (Vince Pavlicek)

* “Mailbu” for Malibu (Douglas Lyon)

* “Deverly Hills” for (what’s its name?) Beverly Hills (Tobi Dragert).

And, finally, Frederick Schreiber sent us a variation of Whittier with a one-letter mistake--a one-letter change that would be enough to lower anyone’s property values.

A LIST OF DON’TS AND DON’TS: Surfers, sunbathers and fishermen who wear high heels have to find some other type of footwear if they wish to walk on the pier at Seal Beach, which is south of Manhattan Ditch (see photo). That includes you, Dennis Rodman.

WORD SPREADS QUICKLY IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM: The other day we mentioned Myrtle Ann, the La Crescenta turtle who apparently summoned police by knocking a phone off a desk and stepping on a speed-dial button programmed to call 911.

Unfortunately, it was a waste of time for officers. But now comes word from Reuters about a cat who was in trouble and pulled the same trick in Tampa, Fla.

Owner Gail Curtis says her feline Tipper tried to slip a collar off while alone but somehow worked part of it into his mouth and began to choke. Tipper brought the phone crashing to the floor and also speed-dialed 911. A police officer quickly arrived and was able to work the collar loose. Eight lives to go, Tipper.

SNORING FOR SUCCESS: The rush for those $25 tickets from Southwest Airlines reminds us of a similar frenzy in 1992 when United Airlines offered a big discount. David Lieberman of Northridge phoned the airline and was put on hold. A long hold. Two hours later, he was awakened by a voice saying, “Wake up! Wake up!” The voice belonged to the United Airlines clerk on the line. She told him: “If I hadn’t heard you snoring, I would have hung up.”

She added: “Boy, do you snore loud!”

miscelLAny

Some bank robbers, such as John Dillinger, have cultivated romantic reputations. Not so one particular suspect who was sought in Long Beach recently. He was described as “about 35 to 40 years old, wearing a blue and white checkered shirt with heavy body odor and dirty teeth.” Long Beach police caught him--without the aid of a bloodhound. This guy couldn’t have escaped notice in Stupid City.