I almost feel sorry for the police. This kid is like the “James Bond” of juvenile delinquents.

[November 18, 1949] A thin, wiry, 14 year-old boy who has led officers of three states on a merry chase for seven crime-packed weeks was captured today at his Texarkana home.

The boy, small for his age, launched his crime wave seven weeks ago by stealing a raccoon from the Texarkana Zoo.

Since then, officers say he has:

1. Stolen a long string of automobiles, motorcycles and even a motor-scooter.
2. Burglarized an ex-police commissioner’s home of $580.
3. Escaped from officers three times. Once was a thrilling getaway from a 50-man posse when he jumped from a car handcuffed.

Tipped that the boy was back in Texarkana after escapades in Houston, Arkansas and Louisiana, detectives and policeman from Texas and Arkansas found him hiding in a closet of his home here and he surrendered without resistance. Texarkana Detective Homer Goff said the boy was “as far back in that closet as a person could get.”

Here is the boy’s crime career as outlined by officers:

He was caught and released after he had stolen the raccoon. Then, he stole two motorcycles here (Texarkana).

He was apprehended after stealing the first motorcycle but broke away from the officer who had him in custody.

On the second motorcycle, he rode to South Texas. He wrecked it and stole a motor scooter in Houston.

He visited the Houston home of his stepfather but ended the visit abruptly by stealing $58 from the home and his stepfather’s car.

He drove the car to Texarkana and abandoned it.

Then he went on to Nashville, Ark., and burglarized the home of an ex-police commissioner of $580. He also stole a couple of cars in Nashville. He went on to a town near Shreveport and stole another car.

He drove that car to Houston and parked in front of the home of an aunt. He went in the house and went to sleep. The aunt called police to come and get him, but he awakened and heard them coming. He jumped through a window and hid in the woods till they were gone.

They made the mistake of leaving the stolen car in front of the house. The boy promptly got in it and drove away.

He was next spotted in the woods near Addicks, Texas, in Harris County. A 50-man posse called for him to come out, but he didn’t. They waded into the woods and caught him. Officers in the group handcuffed him and placed him I their car and headed for Addicks.

En route, the boy opened the back door of the car with his toes and leaped out. This time, the posse didn’t catch him.

The next word of him was the telephoned tip to police here last night that he was in town. It resulted in his arrest.

Texarkana officers say they’ll turn him over to Nashville, Ark., authorities today.

[Note: Why do I get the feeling the story doesn’t end here?]

Source: AP via The Pampa Daily News, (Texas), Nov. 18, 1949, Pg. 1.

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