Boss Buried Alive, Trespassing Manatee, Stolen Identity: Weird Florida

Patch operates 23 daily news sites in Florida. The following are some of the more unusual, wacky, wonderful or just plain weird stories that made headlines over the past week or so:

Quick-Change Bank Robber Not So Quick: Cops

A 44-year-old man accused in a failed Thursday morning bank robbery struck out a second time while allegedly attempting to disguise his appearance by swiping clothing for a quick change.

Mermaid Takes On Tropical Storm Colin’s Floodwaters

Residents of St. Petersburg’s Shore Acres neighborhood might have thought they’d stumbled into a remake of “The Little Mermaid” on Monday. After all, those who looked out their windows as floodwaters rose may have noticed a rare sight indeed.

Watch: Mom Thwarts Kidnapper At Dollar General

A determined mother and an off-duty deputy are getting the credit for saving a 13-year-old girl from a would-be abductor Tuesday morning.

Watch: Manatee Crashes Florida Backyard

A St. Petersburg woman got quite a surprise over the weekend when she found unusual visitors in her backyard. It seems two manatees took advantage of high waters to pay her a personal visit. 

Gator Found With Human Body In Its Mouth

A resident of Florida Presbyterian Homes in Lakeland made a grisly discovery Tuesday afternoon, sparking a mystery that Lakeland Police are now trying to unravel. It seems the unnamed resident called 911 after spotting an alligator with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth. 

Man Stole Brother’s Identity To Buy Home, Cars: Deputies

A 45-year-old Clearwater man is accused of swiping his brother’s identity in hopes of buying a home, cars and a number of other big-ticket items.

Man Nicknamed ‘Pork Chop’ Buried Boss Alive: Deputies

Whether Johnny Paycheck’s “Take This Job and Shove It” was an earworm running through a Florida man’s head on Wednesday morning remains unclear. What is clear is that the 32-year-old DeBary man faces felony charges after Volusia County deputies say he dumped two loads of dirt on his boss following an argument.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission