The story of the theft of Elvis' gun has a happy ending. Elvis Presley's black 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol was removed by a man from a display case at the "Elvis after Dark" museum. The man, wearing goofy sunglasses atop his head, just reached into the case and took the black 9 mm Smith and Wesson. But, by pure luck, the gun was recovered and turned in to police Monday. Seems one Travis Brookins was cleaning the portable toilets behind the Elvis After Dark museum last Thursday when he found what he thought was a toy gun, dropped into that horrendous muck. He took the piece home, cleaned it up and probably didn't think much else about it until news reports surfaced Monday. "He called us and said he thinks he had the gun and brought it to us," Memphis police Lt. Jerry Gwyn said. Turns out it was the same gun, police said, smelling a little better. It's now in their property room.

Surveillance video shows the thief -- wearing extra-long shorts and a camouflage T-shirt -- pushing open the glass case and snaking an arm in to snag the gun. At some point, he must have stopped by the toilet on the way out, a decision perhaps sparked by adrenaline. And that's when police believe he got fumbly fingers. "It's a good possibility who ever took it accidentally dropped it in there," Gwyn said. "Of course, whoever dropped it wouldn't go in there." The thief is still on the run, and police wonder if he's even from around Memphis. The folks at Graceland weren't saying much Monday, perhaps over embarrassment at the ease of the theft.
 

Posted:  22nd. August 2007