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The Lineup: Our Favorite Stupid Criminal Stories of 2024

Dec. 27, 2024

OFFICER Magazine looks at our favorite criminally stupid—or criminally unlucky—lawbreakers this year: Tip to aspiring crooks: Ceiling crawl spaces and bathrooms are terrible hiding spots.

Source Officer.com News

Lt. Frank Borelli (ret), Editorial Director,

Joe Vince

A Memphis murder #Fugitive, Deario Wilkerson, tried to hide in the attic. He was captured by U.S. Marshals after he fell through the ceiling. A fugitive wanted in a fatal shooting in Memphis, TN, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in August when he fell through the ceiling of a home while trying to hide in the attic. — A Memphis murder #Fugitive, Deario Wilkerson, tried to hide in the attic. He was captured by U.S. Marshals after he fell through the ceiling.
A fugitive wanted in a fatal shooting in Memphis, TN, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in August when he fell through the ceiling of a home while trying to hide in the attic.

OFFICER Magazine has a law enforcement podcast that talks about what's going on in the world of law enforcement each week.

Every Friday, The Lineup podcast rounds up the week's most intriguing law enforcement news and goes behind the headlines. Editorial Director Frank Borelli and Assistant Editor Joe Vince will look at the stories that have people talking, and they'll give their own takes on the topics, from discussing a police department's latest recruiting and retention efforts to putting a spotlight on a daring arrest.

Listen to new episodes and subscribe to the podcast. Episodes are available on Podbean, along with OFFICER Magazine's Officer Roll Call, Undercover Dad and Command Q&A podcasts (see below).

Episode 88: Our Favorite Stupid Criminal Stories of 2024

Not every lawbreaker police encounter is a criminal mastermind. For every Hans Gruber from Die Hard with ambitious schemes that can only be stopped by an overachieving off-duty police officer, there are twice as many Harry and Marvs from Home Alone, who can be foiled by an abandoned kid with a chip on his shoulder. The final installment of OFFICER Magazine's end-of-the-year episodes takes a look at our favorite stupid criminals of 2024 and the exploits that found a place in our hearts. Or at least our funny bones. Our biggest lesson from 2024 to pass along: Bathrooms and crawl spaces are terrible hiding spots.

Other end-of-the-year episodes:

OFFICER Magazine Podcasts

Along with Officer Roll Call, OFFICER Magazine has other podcasts available:

Officer Roll Call: Our flagship podcast covers a vast range of subjects in the law enforcement community, from news to equipment to policy topics and more
Undercover Dad: Assistant Editor Joe Vince talks with his dad about his time an ATF agent working undercover in Detroit and Flint in the 1970s.
Command Q&A: Editor Paul Peluso interviews law enforcement leaders from around the country.

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Check back here as more episodes are available.

About the Author

Lt. Frank Borelli (ret), Editorial Director | Editorial Director

Lt. Frank Borelli is the Editorial Director for the Officer Media Group. Frank brings 20+ years of writing and editing experience in addition to 40 years of law enforcement operations, administration and training experience to the team.

Frank has had numerous books published which are available on Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, and other major retail outlets.

If you have any comments or questions, you can contact him via email at [email protected].

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.