Police on lookout for runaway Rolex

There's nothing quite like a story about a bizarre, vaguely stupid crime to round out the week. So, in that spirit, we bring you the tale of the guy who wanted to sell a $15,000 Rolex watch, met the seller, let him try the watch on — and now has no watch and no $15,000. Life can be harsh like that sometimes.

According to police, the man advertised the Rolex in some undisclosed place and got a call from a man who said he was interested in buying it. They agreed to meet at the Wal-Mart in the 2700 block of Kirkwood on New Year's Eve; when they did, the supposed buyer tried the watch on, then ran out of the store. No word on how the seller feels after having kicked himself for 40 days.

Police said the suspect is a white man between 20 and 22 years old, around 6 feet tall with a thin build. He has short blonde hair with a bald spot and a tattoo of the word "America" on the left side of his neck. He was last seen wearing a T-shirt, shorts and a baseball cap. Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information on the case; if you know anything, call 713.222.TIPS.