The Importance of Not Being Seen

Take OneThe following story was reported some years ago in the Las Vegas Sun: A man approached the cashiers' cage at Binion's Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas, pulled a shotgun and was given an amount of cash. (Note that casino cages are located at the rear of the casino to discourage such activities.)The man tucked his shotgun under a trench coat and started to walk casually out of the casino. He was immediately surrounded by casino guards who walked with him so as not to cause a scene.Evaluating his situation, the man entered the casino and sat down at a card game in progress. He remained seated there for several hands, still surrounded by security personnel. The game continued uninterrupted.Finally, perhaps with the thought of creating escape-aiding confusion, the man upended the table sending cards and chips flying. He was immediately set upon by the card players who had to be restrained by the security guards from killing the interloper.The game resumed shortly thereafter and the thief was taken to the hospital.Take TwoThis story even made the "America's Dumbest Criminals" book ... In Peoria, Illinois, police were called to the scene of a home burglary. It turned out that only one major item was missing -- an entire houseful of new wall-to-wall carpet.The officers on the scene had no idea how to track a hot carpet. As they headed outside into the newly fallen snow to look around, they found footprints and a long, scraped trail. The officers followed the trail to a neighbor's front door. When the police entered the house, they found the stolen carpet recut and laid to fit its new home.The man who lived there insisted that he had purchased the rug, but police showed him his own trail. He was arrested and charged with the crime.