Tobacco spit leads to charges in Wis. safe theft

Tue Apr 21, 9:00 pm ET
LA CROSSE, Wis. – A tobacco chewing habit led to charges against two men accused of stealing a safe that was bolted to the floor of a town of Campbell tavern. A criminal complaint said a DNA profile was developed from a sample taken from the trail of chewing tobacco spit leading away from the Sher-Bear Tavern after the theft Feb. 5.

The DNA matched a 21-year-old man, who was charged Monday with burglary, theft, criminal damage to property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The complaint said a search of his vehicle found a receipt for a hotel room rented to another 21-year-old man after the burglary. He was charged Monday with burglary, theft and criminal damage to property.

A fisherman found the safe Feb. 9 on a sandbar in the Kaskaskia River near Carlyle, Ill.

He wasnt thinking.