PLAINVIEW, TX — A 35-year-old Plainview man was in Hale County Jail on Friday after a botched late-night robbery and the theft of a police patrol car.

After the holdup at an Allsup's, police said the robber left behind a telltale clue of his identity — his driver's license.

James Wiley Taylor was being held on charges of second-degree robbery and third-degree theft. His bond was set at $35,000.

Police recovered the patrol car behind Dollar General store, 600 W. 24th St., about 30 minutes after it was stolen. Nothing was taken from it, police said.

A man entered the Allsup's convenience store at 2620 Olton Road about 11:50 p.m. Thursday and made a purchase. When the female clerk opened the cash drawer, the man allegedly reached across the counter and grabbed an undetermined amount of cash, detective Sgt. Jess Barrera said.

The woman's husband, an off-duty Hale County jailer, was in the store at the time.

The pair chased the robber from the store but lost sight of him behind the building, Barrera said.

A police officer responded to the scene and stepped out of her patrol car to examine the vehicle used by the suspect, Barrera said.

"What do they find on the front seat? His driver's license," Barrera said.

As the officer was checking the vehicle, the suspect ran around from the back of the store, hopped into the patrol car and sped away, Barrera said.

After finding the patrol car, police received a telephone tip that the suspect was at a residence. The homeowner allowed police to enter, and the suspect turned himself in and admitted to the robbery and the patrol car theft, Barrera said.

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