Mr. Write's Page

PORTLAND, MAINE — Police are investigating an incident in which a malfunctioning ATM at a branch of TD Bank spit out $37,000 in cash to a man who had requested $140.

Officers responded to a call from a woman waiting in line at the ATM about a man making repeated withdrawals. The officers arrived to find the man stuffing cash into a shopping bag.

The $37,000 was returned to the bank. The identity of the man wasn’t released because bank officials declined to press charges.

A bank official described the problem as a “code error.”

TOURS, FRANCE — In March, prosecutors in a murder trial called a dog to the witness stand in hopes he would identify the defendant, who was on trial for killing the dog’s master.

Tango, a nine-year-old Labrador retriever, was present when his master was killed in a street fight. With Tango on the witness stand, the judge ordered the defendant to threaten the dog with a bat.

The defense attorney strenuously objected, but was overruled.

He needn’t have bothered. Tango “flinched noticeably” when the bat was raised, but otherwise showed no interest in the proceedings and was dismissed.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A Brooklyn man is suing the credit bureau Equifax because it refuses to recognize his first name, God, as legitimate.

God Gazarov claims in the lawsuit that Equifax has damaged his credit rating. He said the other credit rating agencies have no issues with his name.

He added that an Equifax customer service representative insulted him, suggesting that he change his name to resolve the matter.

Gazarov, 26, is a Russian native who is named after his grandfather. He is a graduate of Brooklyn College and owns a Brighton Beach jewelry store.