An open-and-shut case in Alvin, TX

Crime never sleeps, not even in Alvin, where there's a statue of Nolan Ryan, who left town several years ago.

As Bill Crider, a novelist known to some as The Bard of Alvin, explains it:

A guy I know lost his wallet in Kroger yesterday. Dropped it while looking for a coupon or something. When it came time to pay -- no wallet. He called his credit card company immediately to cancel his card. The helpful person on the line said, "Did you charge gas at Wal-Mart about five minutes ago?" He hadn't, of course, so he called the station there. The cashier said there was no way she could identify the purchaser, who'd paid at the pump.

End of story? Not quite. About fifteen minutes later, the cashier called the guy and said, "He's back. He just filled up another car with gas."

How'd she know the guy was back? Because he came to the window to tell ask her for help because the pump wouldn't accept his credit cart. The cashier told him to go back to the pump, and she'd see what she could do. He left, and she called the cops, who swooped down and caught him, still waiting at the pump.

The guy I know lost about 60 bucks and has to get a new credit card, but it could've been worse.

We do not know yet if Chief Merkel has called a press conference. Stay tuned.