MONTPELIER, Vt. — Giving new meaning to the term "beer run," a petty convict has been accused of escaping from prison to buy beer and then trying to break back in.

Mark Delude was serving an eight- to 30-month sentence for a variety of minor offenses at the St. Johnsbury work camp, located 40 miles east of Montpelier. At the end of a long work day last week, Delude decided to crawl under the fence surrounding the jail, walk a mile and a half to a convenience store, make some purchases, and then return to the minimum security prison.

Delude was reported missing and, moments later, state troopers found him crawling back under the fence with a 24-pack of beer and a carton of cigarettes. Authorities have no idea what prompted Delude to commit the act in light of his upcoming release, but say that such foolishness among prison inmates is not at all surprising, especially when it comes to sneaking in substances to abuse.

The work camp is for minor, nonviolent offenders and the surrounding fence is not meant to be an impenetrable barrier. Delude, however, will not be going on any more beer runs in the near future. He has been transferred to a high-security prison with a secure perimeter fence where he faces up to two more years behind bars.

A spokesman for the Correctional Services Central Office said this is the first time he has heard of anyone being caught trying to break into prison.

PLUMSTEAD, Pa. — George Bussinger may be a criminal but at least he's polite.

Bussinger was test-driving a 2002 Dodge Durango on Nov. 30 when he told the salesman he was on parole and intended to steal the vehicle, according to police. For the inconvenience he had caused, Bussinger then let salesman Joe Borowski off at a nearby Kmart parking lot and offered him $100.

Bussinger's politeness didn't stop there. Hours later, he called Borowski at the Fred Beans Dodge dealership to make sure that he was OK. The 26-year-old also apologized and said he didn't plan on bringing back the $35,833 vehicle.

Coincidentally, Police Cpl. Mike Jones was interviewing Borowski at the time of the call. Authorities have not disclosed the entire story, but say that Bussinger, who was on parole in New Jersey, needed the car to renew his driver's license in Pennsylvania. Authorities were able to track down his identity through the cellphone call and a photocopy of his driver's license that he had left with the salesman, according to a spokeswoman at the Plumstead Township police department.

Borowski told police that nothing seemed unusual during the test drive until he got out to let Bussinger drive. Normal procedure calls for the salesman to drive first to a vacant lot before switching seats with the customer.

When Borowski got out, Bussinger locked the doors, authorities say. Cracking the window open a tad, Bussinger told Borowski his intentions. Borowski complied, but asked if he could get the dealer's license plate. Bussinger agreed and told Borowski to walk to a nearby tree. He then leaped out of the Durango, removed the plate, tossed it toward Borowski, and quickly drove away.

As of Dec. 12, neither Businnger nor the Durango has been found.

Toledo, Ohio — Two hours after being released from prison, David Dearing stole his grandmother's car, robbed a bank and sold the new clothes his grandmother had given him to buy drugs.

Dearing was back behind bars just 29 hours after he was released on parole from the Lima Correctional Institution.

According to authorities, Dearing is a career criminal, and his grandmother, whose name they have not released, was the only person in his life that had not given up on him. During his latest three-year sentence for armed robbery, the grandmother often sent Dearing money in prison. On the day of his release, the 77-year-old woke up at 4:30 a.m. to pick up her grandson from prison and had to wait nearly 90 minutes for Dearing to be processed. After picking him up, the grandmother took Dearing to McDonalds and gave him a new set of clothes, including a leather jacket. Dearing then asked his grandmother if he could use the car to try on his clothing.

Instead, Dearing drove off and didn't return.

Authorities say Dearing sold his new clothes and bought crack cocaine. He then robbed a bank, threatening to kill the teller if she didn't give him the money. Later that day, Dearing crashed his grandmother's new 2001 Buick Century into another vehicle, blew out the tire, and got it stuck in the mud.

When police arrived, they found Dearing locked in his car, smoking a crack pipe. He is now charged with aggravated robbery, driving under suspension, and stealing a car, an Allen County court spokesman said.