A bicycle thief is riding away on his newly stolen, wheels when he notices a police officer paying him more attention than he'd like. He panics, abandoning the bike and running away on foot. The officer thinks he might be able to trace the robber's route and find where the bike was stolen. Not only does he find the cut lock, but beside it, a bag with the thief's wallet and ID still inside. A helpful clue to be sure! But what makes this really dumb? That very same thief had been booked for a burglary before … because he left his phone at the scene of the crime, and when the police found it, his mother called and identified him by name to the officer on the other end. You'd think he'd have learned his lesson the first time, but maybe the third time will be the charm. From professional baseball players who should stick to the game, to a burglar who helpfully labeled his bag with his name, to an art heist conducted with only a plastic bag and chutzpah, these crooks could be called gutsy, inventive, bold, and even ambitious. But this is about the world's dumbest criminals, and they all fit the bill.

Criminals of all kinds vie for the title with all kinds of crime: Forgetful Foiled Fleecers, Creative Creepy Ceiling Crawlers, Art-World Artifice, Dubious Disguises, Fruity Fails, Lawn Lawbreaking.