Brains stolen, sold on eBay, man arrested

Jars of brain tissue were recently stolen from an Indianapolis medical museum and sold on eBay, according to a report.

Apparently a "hot" brain goes for $100 plus shipping these days.

At least that's the rate a San Diego man paid for six jars before he got suspicious about some labels and called authorities, according to the Indianapolis Star.

Indianapolis police set up a phony deal in a Dairy Queen parking lot on Dec. 16, and arrested David Charles, 21, a city resident, who just the day before allegedly stole another 60 jars of human tissue from the Indiana Medical History Museum.

The samples came from a couple of thousand patients with mental disorders who were autopsied from the late 19th century through the 1940s at Central State Hospital, which operated at museum site until 1994, the Star reports.

Charles was also charged with possessing marijuana and paraphernalia.

The museum's director called the thefts "horrid" and "extraordinarily disturbing."

She spoke with the purchaser/tipster, who explained, "he just liked to collect odd things."

No word his name was Frankenstein. No evidence of a looming Zombie Apocalypse.

The newspaper called it a case of "skullduggery."

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.