There are some stupid criminals, and then there are some stupid criminals. In the case of 34-year-old Gerald B. Hardin and his accomplice, we're inclined to say they both went above and beyond the latter.
Hardin was arrested and charged this month after he turned himself in for cutting a guy's hand off with a polesaw in 2008, a guy who turned out to be his accomplice in a major insurance fraud scheme. Their plan, apparently, was to cut off one guy's hand, get it reattached at the hospital, and then collect and split the insurance payout for the injury.
But, this didn't all go exactly as planned. Though the men did receive about $670,000 from a homeowner's policy and three other policies covering accidental death and dismemberment, doctors were unsuccessful in reattaching the unnamed accomplice's hand. But hey, what's a limb when you're rich, right?
The FBI eventually figured out the scheme, and Hardin turned himself in to police. He's been charged with six crimes, and faces up to 20 years in prison plus $250,000 in fines if convicted.
We're guessing no one's going to be asking him for a hand with anything anytime soon.
[via New York Daily News]
