Man swaps empty lobster shell for crab legs

[January 21, 2009]  AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (AP) -- After he finished his lobster dinner, an upstate New York man apparently was still hungry for seafood, so he swapped the lobster shell for crab legs -- and now he faces a petit larceny charge.

Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies said a 57-year-old man brought back a reassembled lobster shell to his local Price Chopper store and claimed the crustacean was spoiled.

The store manager was about to let him trade the lobster for a $27 bag of king crab legs when he discovered the lobster was just a shell. Deputies said the man ran from the store clutching the crab legs when he was confronted.

Deputies said the man had already devoured the crab legs when they caught up with him at home. He was given an appearance ticket to answer the larceny charge in court.

[Associated Press]

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