Former Employee Is Trapped Without Key, but Avoids Lockup

Cops hear the darnedest stories, like the one told by a man wedged between the front door and outside security gate of a closed cellphone store in L.A.

The visitor explained that he was a former employee who still had keys to the store because the owner allowed him to use the computer inside.

Well, then, he was asked, why didn’t he unlock the security gate and head home?

Because, he said, when he was leaving, he left his keys inside after setting the lock on the front door.

“I won’t lie to you, officer; I’ve had a few beers,” the man said, according to the Thin Blue Line, a police publication.

Fire authorities eventually opened the security gate and freed the visitor, at which point officers noticed, yup, a set of keys inside the store.

The visitor was not arrested. The owner later verified his story, with one addendum: The man’s computer privileges had been revoked.

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Trashy event: In West L.A., Roger Beerworth noticed a sign that prompted him to say, “People will buy anything these days” (see photo).

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Thanks for the warning: After checking the price of “break” jobs at one San Fernando Valley shop, John Kaptein wrote: “I guess for the price of about $130 you could have your entire car destroyed” (see photo).

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How’s that again? As if driving in L.A. isn’t enough of a challenge, Joya Light of West L.A. made a rare sighting of a trio of dueling parking signs (see photo).

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Unusual takeout order: Did you hear about the burglar who broke into a San Clemente pizza parlor in the middle of the night and decided that, while he was there, he’d bake a pepperoni pizza?

It was all caught by a security camera, which even showed him donning an employee’s shirt. Alas, the hungry thief was scared by an arriving worker and fled, leaving the pizza in the oven.

Still, he did carry off some dough, Associated Press said -- about $3,000.

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miscelLAny: I tell you one ballot proposition that I think would pass, (even if it was supported by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger): a ban of campaign ads on television and radio.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012, and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.