Dumb Burglar Leaves His Mark

MAY 29--Meet Albert Dowdy.

The 22-year-old Oregon man was arrested this week after committing the kind of blunder they warn you about on the first day of burglar school.

On Sunday, Dowdy tried to break into a Grants Pass home by throwing a paint can through a sliding glass window, according to police. After bouncing off the glass--which did not break--the can fell to the floor, splattering white paint on the ground.

Dowdy eventually got into the home, where he swiped a can of tuna and a box of oatmeal, but made the mistake of stepping in the paint. When cops arrived, they discovered that Dowdy left an incriminating trail of white footprints, which led them to a nearby motel. There they discovered Dowdy, the pilfered food, and a pair of paint-covered shoes. He's been hit with burglary, theft, and criminal mischief charges. (3 pages)