Thick Villains: The Criminals So Stupid They Catch Themselves

by Simon Vigar, Jamie Theakston (Foreword)

The perfect murder. The ideal getaway. TV dramas and detective novels would have us think that the underworld is stuffed with geniuses and Mensa members. And while there may be occasional clever criminals who get away with it, there are plenty more whose activities are ill-conceived, dense, and downright stupid. Thick Villains collects stories of the lamest lawbreakers, bringing together tales of criminal stupidity from around the world. This compilation includes such classics as the man who gave Indiana police officers a wrong name after being pulled over—they then noticed his real name tattooed on his neck; a knife-wielding mugger in South Africa who came to a sticky end after deciding to hide in a zoo—in the tiger enclosure; and two robbers in Norway who thought a row boat would be the perfect getaway vehicle after they ransacked another boat, despite the fact that they couldn't row. Police say it wasn't hard to catch up with the pair as they were rowing in opposite directions and going in circles.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2007