LUBBOCK COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) — Prosecutors said he drove a vehicle loaned to him by a car dealership to rob a bank in Texas and brought the money back to try and use for a down payment on a BMW, now Eric Dion Warren is headed to prison.

Warren, who plead guilty to bank robbery has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Most people would probably conclude this dude has got to be crazy. They would be wrong. Let me explain the thought process of a certain class of crook. It doesn’t matter if the crime is robbery, theft, burglary or selling drugs. Once the crook has made a clean getaway, the proceeds of the crime are his.

In his mind the loot from the bank robbery belongs to him. He made a clean escape. The cash is just as legitimate, in his mind as if he got a pay check for working forty hours. He did a job and he got paid. His job is crime. He doesn’t have to punch a time clock or get up at the crack of dawn. His job has retirement benefits. In this case, free room and board for the next twenty years.

I used to laugh at these idiots. I’d tell them they stood a good chance of going to prison for the better part of decades. That didn’t faze them. What got their attention is when I told them I was seizing their car, cash and toys. That’s when the crying and wailing began. Taking their freedom was no big deal. On the street or in prison it was the same old crowd. Hang with the homeys and work on getting respect. Getting respect does not entail working or supporting one’s illegitimate children. Taking their shit away was whole ‘nother matter. Accumulating stuff was how they kept score.

Satchmo knew what he was talking about, back in 1928.

When I die bury me in straight lace shoes

I want a box-back coat and a Stetson hat

(John B., that is)

Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain

So the boys will know that I died standin’ pat

St James Infirmary