A story of a burglar and valuable watches that was game changing in this country, though most people have never heard it.  Early 1950s.  Roxbury, MA, an inner city Black ghetto.  An enterprising young man has women work as maids in the homes of the very wealthy in places like Brookline.  They note where all the valuable are, draw maps and note other relevant facts. 

The burglaries are quick, efficient and very productive.  The young man fences off the stuff then goes quiet and draws on his new wealth until funds get tight and repeats.  (Well, he goes quiet in regard to everything the police might see. Still active in dealings within Roxbury where he has burned enough folk that he was aware his time might be running out.)

The burglary business goes well.  He comes across several very valuable watches that pawn off nicely.  One catches his eye.  Gotta have it!  But it doesn't work.  In full knowledge that this is a fool's mission, he takes to a jeweler simply because of that "gotta".  When he goes to pick it up a detective is waiting for him.  Time's up.  And "thank God.  I get to live!"  Goes to jail, serves 7 years, learns to read with the Bible and a dictionary (two of the few worthwhile books the prison library had) and becomes a follower of Elijah Mohammad and the Black Muslims at the prodding and frequent mail of his sister.  Emerges from prison, returns to Detroit and his sister, becomes very active in the Black Muslims and changes his last name to X.  Malcolm X.

Maybe these thieves will get caught and undergo similar transformations.