The thing that some people don't understand about crime is that you have to put some thought into it. You can't just run around willy-nilly doing stupid idiot crimes and expect to get rich and famous and live a life of leisure outside the walls of a prison. You have to plan shit. You can't just, you know, steal $285,000 and hope that nobody notices.

A paralegal and an elementary school teacher from California sure were living lavish! Hey, how'd they do that? The LAT reports:

The roommates, Alexa Johzen Polar, 34, and Robin Antonella Pabello, 33, both of Garden Grove, are charged with forging a $285,000 check from the law firm where Polar works and using it to charter a private jet. They flew their friends to New York City, rented five rooms at a hotel overlooking Times Square and went on a shopping spree at Tiffany and Co. and Montblanc, authorities said.

They also put down a $233,000 deposit on a $3.7-million house in Murrieta - paid for with two fraudulently obtained cashier's checks, prosecutors said.

THOUGHT THAT OCCURRED: "Hey, there are some checks here. Let me just write one for $285K and take the money and live the fabulous life of a rich person, forever and ever amen."

THOUGHT THAT DID NOT OCCUR: "Perhaps I should cover my tracks in some way, lest I get caught."

They were caught. Well, say this for them: they had a dream, and they gave it their best shot. No they didn't.

[LAT. Photo via]