Forgery suspect walks away from police in P.G.

There’s good news and then there’s not so good news to report tonight from the southern coastal town of Punta Gorda. The good news is that the quick actions of the police resulted in the speedy apprehension of an accused forgery artist, John Gabriel, after the check he issued to a local shop, turned out to have more bounce than a basketball. The bad news is that fifteen minutes after he reached the police station on Thursday night he managed to slip out through an open door. According to the officer in charge of the station, Gabriel, a thirty-seven year old mechanic, requested a drink of water and was given permission to go help himself. That window of opportunity was all the accused criminal needed to bolt for freedom. Gabriel has not been heard from since.