The term "intensive investigation" gets overworked. Many crimes are solved by outright luck — the perp walks into headquarters and gives himself up. Or, a partner in a crime, hoping for leniency, rats out on his buddy.

Then there’s the bozo who just runs his mouth without first engaging his brain. Such a person is Leonard. In this story Leonard and his buddy, Biggy, are tailing a Lexus.

The luxury car pulls into a residential garage in an upscale neighborhood. Leonard and Biggy pull in behind the Lexus and run up to the driver before he can close the garage door.

At gunpoint, the driver is forced into the trunk, but every time they try to slam the trunk lid shut, the kidnap victim blocks it with his shoes.

Leonard and Biggy are getting nervous. Where are the car keys? The guy in the trunk has them. Every time they reach into the trunk the guy kicks them. This is taking much too long. Fearing a burglar alarm or a passing police car, Leonard and Biggy give up on the caper and take off.

Weeks go by with no arrest. Then, in an unrelated case, a street cop grabs a guy for the attempted theft of a luxury car in front of a fancy restaurant. The suspect just happens to be Leonard.

During questioning, Leonard wrongly assumes the cops know he’s the perp who tried to kidnap the guy in the Lexus. Without thinking, Leonard blurts out: "The guy kept sticking his feet out so I couldn’t close the trunk. He wouldn’t give up the keys. He even kicked me in the chest — it really hurt. I still got bruises. I might sue."

Detectives call "time out" to confer with the lieutenant. Leonard is placed in a lineup with five other men. The Lexus owner has no problem picking out Leonard as one of the would-be kidnappers. Leonard signs a confession which fully implicates Biggy.

What’s the old saying? "Open mouth — insert foot." Leonard inserted both feet.