Redneck Crime

Thanks to readers like you and a $1,000 reward, the Saint Jo Police Department received hundreds of tips about that scoundrel who ran off with those $10K boots last week. (See “Boot-Scootin’ Varmint” Aug. 12.) Chief Jonathan Lloyd claimed the massive media attention was a big help. (ahem… You’re welcome, Chief.) One tip led officers to the Cooke County Jail, where they apparently had a nice chat with an inmate who pointed them in the right direction.

Chief Lloyd and another officer drove more than 200 miles in the next 11 hours, talking to about a dozen folks and searching five homes and businesses from Denton to Callisburg, Texas. Finally, the suspect phoned Chief Lloyd while he was searching yet another house. The lily-livered varmint refused to turn himself in but did agree to take the boots to a safe location. Around 7 p.m. Thursday, he called again to say the boots were on U.S. Highway 82 in Muenster. Sure enough, that’s where police found them–a little scuffed up but safe and sound.

Saint Jo Police are expected to file charges right soon. According to the boots’ owner and designer, Carl Chappell, “The guy wore them into several Western Wear stores, so we’ve got about ten positive photos of the suspect.” (Dallas Morning News)

This fella needs to be kept barefoot and in jail, far away from any respectable Western Wear retailers. Even a redneck can’t mess with another man’s boots and get by with it.–Tex