Weird News: Exploding Porta Potty, Raccoons on Wheels, Blonde Wig-Wearing Thief Strikes Again

Editor's Note: Patch has 31 sites in Virginia and D.C., and not a day goes by that something weird isn't happening somewhere in the area. Here's a look back at some weird goings-on over the past week.

Blonde Wig-Wearing Bank Robber Strikes Again: The blonde wig-wearing bank robber who pulled a heist at a bank in Chantilly last week apparently struck again over the weekend, according to police. The female bank robber was toting a Coach bag when she robbed the United Bank in Vienna last Saturday morning. The bank is about 15 miles away from the Bank of America in Chantilly that was robbed previously.

Police Need Information on Dog that Bit Woman in Falls Church: Another bandit on the run — a dog in Falls Church. Falls Church police are seeking information about a dog bite incident that occurred on either Thursday or Friday at about 4:30 p.m. outside the CVS Pharmacy at 1150 W. Broad St. A woman was bitten on the leg as she petted one of two unattended dogs tied by their leashes outside the store. The dog was described as a medium-sized shaggy mixed breed with salt and pepper coloring. The other dog is described as a brown Dachshund-type breed. The dogs were tied with green leashes.

Alexandria Raccoon Can't Part with its Wheels: Apparently it’s even difficult to get raccoons to part with their cars and use transit. On July 13, an Alexandria animal control officer was dispatched to a car dealership in the 3400 block of Duke Street to deal with a raccoon that had camped out under the hood of an SUV. The animal had settled in the engine, underneath the heat shield and on top of the transmission. The officer activated the SUV’s alarm, which startled the raccoon out of the engine. The animal retreated into a nearby storm drain. Perhaps it found a Metro train down there?

Tire Slasher Goes on Prius Rampage in Arlington: Someone apparently really doesn't like fuel-efficient vehicles. Arlington police are investigating a series of tire-slashings that occurred Sunday night into Monday morning across the county, spokesman Dustin Sternbeck told Patch. Police have reports of tires slashed with a knife on 10 cars in the north end of Arlington County and five more in South Arlington. One was a Smart car; the rest, Toyota Prius.

Exploding Porta Potty: Firework Prank Causes a Stink at Parsells Field: It's all fun and games until you start playing with fire — and portable toilets. Those near Parsells Field learned that lesson the hard way last week after two teens reportedly set off fireworks inside a porta potty. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office received a call around 10:20 p.m. July 21 from a resident who saw two teens fleeing from the field, located in the 42800 block of Waxpool Road.

Reston Association Sticks with Paddleboard Go-Ahead: Paddleboarding is supposed to be a peaceful sport, but this week in Reston, it was causing fireworks of its own. Despite an outcry from lakefront property owners, the Reston Association upheld its decision from earlier this month to allow Surf Reston Standup Paddleboard Adventures to open for lessons on Lake Audubon. Some of the homeowners claimed that such a business would bring crime, trash and non-Reston members to the lake.

New Burial Plots Expected to be in 'High Demand' at Manassas Cemetery: The race doesn’t stop even after death in Manassas. The 124 new grave plots planned for Manassas Cemetery are expected to go quickly, so much that city officials are planning a lottery and a public drawing to determine who gets to be buried there. City Council voted Monday to approve a plan that calls for the expansion of the historic cemetery located just off Route 28 in Old Town Manassas.

Adam Kokesh: I'll Answer One Question if You Donate $20 to My Defense: Have a spare $20? You can help one man pay his way out of jail. Adam Kokesh, the anti-government activist who posted a video of himself on YouTube loading a shotgun with live ammunition in D.C.’s Freedom Plaza on July Fourth, has been sitting in jail in Fairfax ever since being arrested in his Herndon residence on July 9. Though he originally threatened to forgo bail and stay in jail in protest of his arrest, Kokesh apparently had a change of heart and recently recorded a message to supporters — from his prison cell — asking for donations to help him make bail and pay for his defense from the “legal maze” he finds himself in. In the message, he offers to write handwritten, customized letters from his jail cell to anyone who logs onto his website and donates $20 or more.