Syndicated columnist Amy Alkon wrote a remarkable piece for the Los Angeles Times a few years ago (I think in the magazine) about tracking down the creep who stole her car -- a powder pink 1960 Nash Rambler. A car like that is not easy to hide, and she kept getting leads and chasing them. She found "Fred" and the Rambler, but when the LAPD wouldn't close the deal she got Fred on the phone and harangued until he broke: "Where would you like your car?"

It was there in an hour, in horrible condition. Moldings were missing. Every lock was broken. A door handle had been severed. The formerly pristine rose-beige velvet upholstery was splattered with grease spots and wax drippings. Worse, there were white latex paint droplets all over my hood and chrome. I called Fred back and screamed at him.

OK, upshot -- Alkon posts on her blog today that the guy is back in jail, and the L.A. city attorney called to ask if he's been making the $75 a month restitution payments. Now he may be looking at 180 days for not paying. She tells more.