Car Thief Spray Paints Face Black to Throw Off Cops

On Saturday evening, in Madera, California, police came upon and recovered a stolen car while the thief quietly slipped away and avoided being arrested. That didn’t last for long, though.

Within a few short minutes, a tipster called police and told them that the thief was at his home in a nearby apartment complex. Police quickly rushed to the scene, only to find the perpetrator jumping from a rear window after spray painting his face black as a sort of camouflage. That, however, wasn’t exactly the best plan.

“He was trying to hide against a white wall, so he really stood out,” said Sgt. Dan Foss in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “That camouflage was ineffective.”

Police then booked the man and later identified him as Jose Espinoza, 23. According to police, this was not Espinoza’s first offense. Back in January, Espinoza was arrested for stealing a woman’s purse, and just a few weeks later, he was arrested for a drug-related offense.

“[When it comes to the law], he’s kind of a frequent flier,” said Sgt. Foss.