COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Colorado Springs police are looking for a man who hit two 7-Eleven convenience stores early Wednesday, armed with a Klingon sword.

The first robbery was reported at 1:50 a.m., at 145 N Spruce St. The clerk told police a white man in his 20s, wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and wearing a black mask, entered the store with a weapon the clerk recognized from the Star Trek TV series.

The robber demanded money and left with an undisclosed amount.  

A half hour later, police received a call from a 7-Eleven at 2407 N. Union Blvd., where a man matching the previous description entered the store with a similar weapon. He also demanded money from the store clerk. The clerk refused and the robber ran off.

Both clerks described the weapon as a Star Trek Klingon type sword, called a "Batleth."

Neither clerk was injured in the robberies.

A pet chimpanzee - who had appeared in TV commercials and shows - got loose at a home at 241 Rock Rimmon Road in Stamford, Connecticut Monday afternoon and attacked a woman, according to Stamford police. The woman is in critical condition and it was not his first time the animal has been on the loose.

His owner, Sandra Herold, 70, had called a friend over to help since "Travis" was misbehaving.  He had taken the keys to the car.  The chimp was also trying to open car doors, which he apparently did to indicate he wanted to go for a ride.  Herold was able to coax Travis back to the house and she gave him some Xanax-laced tea, said police.

When the friend, Charla Nash, 55, of Stamford arrived minutes later, the 200-pound chimp bolted outside and began brutally attacking Nash as she was getting out of her car, leaving her with severe facial injuries.  She is in "very critical condition," said police. She remains in critical condition Tuesday.

Travis\' owner tried to stop the attack by stabbing the chimp with a butcher knife.  When that didn\'t work, she called 911, according to police.

When they arrived, officers gave emergency medical personnel an armed escort to the victim.  Police evacuated the area because children were playing nearby.

Travis then charged at police, smashed a car window and opened the door to a police cruiser where an officer was taking cover.  That officer shot the chimp several times and Travis ran off.  Police followed a trail of blood through the house and found Travis dead in his living quarters in the back of the house, said police.  He had several gunshot wounds, police said.

This was not Travis\'s first run-in with the law.

On Oct. 19, 2003, Travis escaped from his owner\'s SUV and went running through the streets.  More than a dozen police officers chased around after him at the time.

In a newspaper article at the time, police said the chimp, then 10, was toilet trained.  He reportedly dressed himself, ate at the table and drank wine.  He could use a computer and remote control.

He starred in Old Navy and Coca-Cola commercials and even appeared on the Maury Povich Show, according to an article in the Stamford Advocate.

Travis\'s owner, Sandra Herold, 70, is also hospitalized.  She might have had a mild heart attack, people at the scene reported, but Stamford Hospital is not releasing any information about her condition.

Fake Foreigner drummer allegedly steals Corvette

02/11/2009 5:00 PM, AP


CLEARWATER, Fla. – Authorities said a transient man convinced a woman that he was the drummer for the rock band Foreigner, stole her Corvette and then crashed it. Police said a 48-year-old man befriended the woman at a Tampa hotel, claiming to be Cory James, the drummer for Foreigner.


The band has had more than a half dozen drummers over the years, none of whom were named Cory James.


The two met up later at the Clearwater Hilton, where police said the man conned the valet into giving him the woman\'s 2002 Chevrolet Corvette without her knowledge or consent. He crashed a short time later and ran off, and police say they used a dog to track him down.


The man faces multiple charges, including grand theft auto. He was being held on $27,900 bail.

His bond was set at $15,000 and her bond was set at $10,000.