Slip-ups, Icicles, and (Not So) Sneaky Thieves

In this week's Odder News: the war on icicles, unsuccessful heists, and awkward political appeal.

• If you saw a pile of tiles near the entrance of your apartment building, what would you do? If the first answer that comes to mind is "steal it", then you're not alone. Two Russian women did just that, hoping to use the tile to renovate their balcony. Unfortunately for them, the crime was caught on camera and they returned the loot later that day. In their defense, they thought the tiles were trash left by a construction company.
• Speaking of thieves, a man was caught after stealing hundreds of dollars worth of TVs from an apartment building in Khabarovsk. His plan was (hardly) flawless: rent an apartment in the building for a day, make copies of the keys, and come back later dressed as a woman to swipe the goods. The thief was caught on camera and is now facing a fine of over R100,000 ($1300). The TVs have been returned to their owners.
• In a botched propaganda stunt, Russia's largest news source Russia 1 released a clip of a meeting between Putin and the president of Iran. The clip was edited to look like an intro to a rap video, and if that isn't cringy enough, the editor confused Iran with Iraq. Around the middle of the clip, Russia's double-headed eagle turns into the Eagle of Saladin, found on the emblem of Iraq. Russia 1 later removed the mistake from their YouTube account.
• Icicles pose a serious threat to walking Russians, and there are all sorts of creative ways to break them before they fall on someone passing by. In Nizhny Novgorod, police are inspecting a video of a man shooting at icicles from a rifle - while people were still inside the building. Maybe a shotgun would work better?
• As we rush into the future, it seems that robots are being made for every little thing imaginable. The Astrakhan State Technical University has presented the first robotic fishing vessel, "Bersh". The robot is able to make underwater maps, dispense bait and pinpoint groups of fish using echolocation. Able to work in high winds, waves, and among thick aquatic vegetation, the robots are expected to be useful for commercial and private fishers alike.