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I am continually amazed at criminals. Really. I mean, where else can you find someone smart enough to do some of the things they do to pull off a crime, yet dumb enough to get caught in the most obvious ways?

This week's Strange News focuses on just that. In Pensacola Florida, Artemio Castillo, 49, and Ernesto Garcia, 41 needed a ride to Mississippi. There was just one small catch. They didn't have a car. So at around 7:00 PM, they wandered to a Parade gas station figuring they could hitch a ride with someone. They asked an employee just coming to work, Vince Nguyen if they could hitch a ride. Nguyen told them no, as he was just arriving for work. So, instead of taking a bus or cab or whatever, they decided "Hey...lets steal one!"

Alright. Fine. People tend to steal cars. I give them credit. I sure don't have the guts to do it, but if I did, I certainly would pick a car that blends in. You know, not a high end sports car, for example. They did the right thing by picking a Ford Escort. Lots of those around, right?

Well, unfortunately, this dark blue Ford Escort had a missing hubcap, and the license plates were from Missouri. Strike one, guys....you live in Florida.

But wait, kids....that's not all. They happened to find this diamond in the rough at the gas station. Unbeknownst to them, the car's owner, Pam Pease, was employed at the gas station. So off they went, obviously giddy with excitement that they pulled off the heist.

Around 7:30, Pease realized her car had been stolen, and reported it to the authorities.

Obviously not on their way to Bible study, Castillo and Garcia noted that the car needed gas. Oh noes.

And now we see the evolution of a criminal's mind. Minds that are so sharp when it comes to doing the actual crime but become dull as as river rocks afterwards.

Back to the police. Deputies were entering the stolen vehicle data into the computer when they received the second call from Parade employees that the car had reappeared. Obviously a mistake, right? The entire Pensacola police had not even been alerted from the dispatcher that the car was stolen.

Well, the brilliant thieving minds came back to the same gas station to get some gas. Hey...the place was friendly enough to give us a car, why not gas!

Pease was sweeping up cigarette butts when all of a sudden here comes her Escort, rolling into the service station. Strike two guys. Nguyen, who speaks Spanish, asked the pair what they were doing back at the station.

"They told him they needed gas," Pease said.

Nguyen shut off the vehicle and offered the men water while co-workers called 911. They must have thought..."Free cars, free gas, free water!! This is the best gas station evar!"

Police arrived and after a short foot chase, the two were apprehended and were charged with grand theft auto and resisting arrest. They are being held in the Escambia County Jail on $7,500 bond each.

"That's a new one. Maybe they were lost," noted Sgt. Ted Roy, Sheriff's Office spokesman. "Crimes like that are good for our job security."

And also good for a laugh.

Since the weekend is slow in terms of tech news, we will try to enlighten you on the strange news that you may not have seen on your late local news. Neowin's Strange News of the Week will hopefully show you, our esteemed readers, that your life isn't all that bad. -- BOOG

News source: The Pensecola News Journal