Most of you have probably seen television or news reports showing the way so many criminals are lax in their judgment (committing the crime not withstanding) that the police are able to comprehend them very easily.

Such instances as making phone calls from homes they have burglarized, which can be traced, using the showers of victims, which leaves behind DNA, and even taking photos of themselves in a home or vehicle they have broken into or stolen and placing the photos on social media.

Now most would think doing a crime would be dumb enough, but ironically many of the people committing various crimes somehow find ways to get caught. Some of the ways they give themselves away, I would think should be common sense. But then again they have been doing illegal activities such as making and selling meth, distributing marijuana, robing convenience stores or various other crimes and misdemeanors.

I now receive the police reports from our local cities and county law enforcement officials, which is my reason for writing. Some of the reports go into very good detail as to what the criminals were doing prior to their arrest. Now most of the events I am referring to happen while the criminal is driving a vehicle.

Unfortunately for the criminal, but very fortunate for the law enforcement, the actions that give away the suspect are sometimes very minor.

For instance if you are going to carry drug paraphernalia in your vehicle, it is probably in your best interest to make sure your vehicle license plate decal has not expired.

I see several of these each week.

Also when you are changing lanes and have several joints in your car, you might want to learn how to use your turn signal. Also if you are making your purchases for your next batch of meth, you need to make sure your brake and taillights are in good working order before you leave the pharmacy with your several packets of Sudafed.

Another thought is you might want to make sure you take a shirt with you in your car.  You do not want your mama to see some of the words and off color ink you have purchased and had tattooed on your chest with your drug money.

Now I am writing this in jest, but you would be surprised at how many of the criminals are stopped and apprehended simply because of things other than the crime they are eventually charged with.

But since most criminals apparently are not thinking correctly anyway, or they would be out looking for a job instead of making and dealing in illegal drugs that hurt themselves and others, this is probably not going to change anything.

But I believe the truth will find you out, and good will always prevail, and maybe God used that broken turn signal or expired tag to stop you on the road you are traveling along. That mistake you made with the turn signal could be the one that saved your life and others along the way.

I hope those that are committing the crimes around our communities continue to make the same mistakes and allow our fine men and women in uniform to take them off the streets. Thanks to all of our law enforcement folks, and I am glad sometimes divine intervention helps to make your job easier ad safer. 

Randy Garrison is the president and publisher of the Hartselle Enquirer.