Cops nab toothless bandit

[TexasStooge]

MUNCIE, Ind. — Call it a "false arrest," of sorts.

Cops collared burglary suspect Paul D. Lee by the skin of his teeth after he allegedly dropped his dentures at the crime scene.

Lee, 39, allegedly broke into a vacant home on Sept. 23 while it was being remodeled, according to Delaware County police. During the burglary, Lee tripped on something in the garage and lost his baseball cap and his dentures, police believe.

Homeowner Louie Coill found the cap the next day and called police. Neither Coill nor police initially found the false teeth. Several hours later, Coill's aunt made the dental discovery on the garage floor, police said.

Time for a dental records check, right? Wrong.

After calling several dentist offices, police learned that by law dentures must have the owner's name written under the fake gum.

Police tracked the toothless Lee to his mother's house. They returned his teeth to him so he could confess to his crime on videotape. Lee allegedly told authorities that after leaving the robbery scene, he realized he lost his teeth and went back the next morning to look for them in a cornfield.

Authorities also linked Lee to the theft of a pickup truck from the house next to Coill's. He was charged with auto theft, criminal mischief and trespassing. His trial in Delaware County court is tentatively set for March 5.