Curiouser & curiouser

[Hagar]

This story gets more bizarre by the day. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/7133961.stm

Canoeist 'lived at family home'

The wife of a man presumed drowned in a 2002 canoe accident has said he lived in part of the family home for three years after being declared dead.

Anne Darwin said her husband hid in a bedsit in a house they owned next door when family or friends visited to prevent them discovering the truth.

John Darwin, 57, vanished from the Hartlepool area in March 2002.

He walked into a police station last week claiming amnesia and is now being questioned on suspicion of fraud.

Cleveland Police have been granted an extra 36 hours to question him and may apply for a further extension if necessary.

Police also want to speak to Mrs Darwin, 55, who sold the family home in Seaton Carew and moved to Panama six weeks ago.

She is thought to be in Miami but expected to return to the UK this weekend.

[Fozzer]

Most definitely one of those occasions when the word "Bizarre" adequately fits the bill.... ...!

I am having great difficultly getting my head around it all... :-?...!

Paul.... ...!!

[Craig.]

Not sure whats so tough to understand really.
These two have committed insurance fraud to the highest degree. They were sort of smart in that they were in no rush to collect hoping that time would make things simple. My guess however is, the guy realised that to move off to panama he had to fly or boat there, and generally getting a passport when your dead is tough, and doing it illegally is even tougher. So thinking it would perhaps be possible to turn up with amensia he goes to the police with his story. However the idiot did forget something. The photo which showed he was alive and well with his wife just last year.
It's one of those cases where, the plan started out well, and stupidity kind of brought it to an end.

[Hagar]

My guess however is, the guy realised that to move off to panama he had to fly or boat there, and generally getting a passport when your dead is tough, and doing it illegally is even tougher. So thinking it would perhaps be possible to turn up with amensia he goes to the police with his story. However the idiot did forget something. The photo which showed he was alive and well with his wife just last year.
It's one of those cases where, the plan started out well, and stupidity kind of brought it to an end.

One flaw in your theory Craig. That photo was allegedly taken in Panama last year so he's already been out there since being declared dead & presumably returned back here fairly recently. He didn't get that suntan hiding in a bedsit in Hartlepool. :-/

[eno]

Just been charged with several things ...... including insurance fraud.

[Rifleman]

Sometimes it just doesn't pay, to not be dead anymore......sheesh !  ::)

[a1]

very interesting.

[Fozzer]

What intrigues me, is the reason why he popped his head above the parapet in England, when it was all going so well?... ...!

...(apparently?)... ...!

I would have stopped in Panama and enjoyed my sun-tan, hat, cigars, etc, etc....... [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]...!

Paul....Watching the ships pass by in the Canal... 8-)...!

[Hagar]

Precisely Paul. I was wondering the same thing but he apparently got fed up with being dead & missed his family. I suspect he was running out of cash.

The latest news is that his missus has shown up in England & been arrested. It gets more involved every minute.

Must be a slow news week methinks.

[Tom...]

They deserve some credit for keeping it under wraps for 5 years though