Desi is an expert when it comes to jewelry. When he’s working he likes to spread the jewelry out on a bed, separating the junk jewelry from the genuine. Then he pockets the good stuff and makes his exit. That’s his usual workshift. Desi is, of course, a cat burglar. A very successful one-until this night.

Desi is in the middle of sorting jewelry when he hears a "slam." Peering out between the blinds he sees a police car. A rookie cop, not thinking, slams the door to the patrol car unwittingly alerting Desi that "the man is here."

Quick as a housecat, Desi runs down to the first floor, through the kitchen, and down the basement steps. Carefully he opens the outside door to the backyard. As he heads for the tall hedges lining the backyard a brilliant light hits Desi.

"Police-freeze," barks a strong voice from out in the darkness. Desi knows he’s busted! This is the backup officer stationed near the rear door.

Desi is spread-eagled on the damp grass for a head-to-toe search. Wearing latex gloves the officer finds an item in Desi’s coat pocket. "Bag it," says the searching officer to the rookie cop. The object is dropped into a plastic Ziploc bag and numbered with a Sharpie pen.

Back at headquarters Desi claims he was just "scoping out the house for a friend. I never went inside. Maybe I trespassed, but it ain’t no burglary."

Meanwhile, the victim comes to headquarters to meet with detectives. "Hey, that’s mine!"she says, looking at the object retrieved from Desi’s pocket. "That’s my tube of toothpaste, I recognize the squeeze-clip on the bottom-my husband made it!"

That’s right! Desi is busted for a lousy tube of toothpaste. If he’d left the house empty-handed the police might not be able to prove burglary. But for a stupid souvenir, Desi now faces a minimum 20 years.