As he reached in the cooler of the Broadway CVS in Galveston and pocketed the gold-rimmed pint of Blue Bell chocolate ice cream, 35-year-old Plum Lowell Applewhite had to know he was playing a very dangerous game.

Over the past seven years he had been arrested time and time again for theft and evading arrest. He had even served a stretch in state jail for those crimes. Plum Applewhite had to believe that the justice system's patience with him was wearing thin.

Maybe that's why the 5'10, 260-pounder made such a mad and ultimately foolish attempt to flee when it was discovered that he was attempting to leave without paying for his ice cream.

One employee attempted to block his way and was flattened for his troubles. Perhaps Applewhite already knew then and there that this act of violence had upgraded his simple act of shoplifting into robbery, or perhaps not. At any rate, there was no stopping him now, or so he believed.

He still had one more CVS employee on his ample tail as he made it to the parking lot. How to shake him off? Applewhite desperately looked around and saw the answer: he snatched up an unlocked bicycle and hurled it at his pursuer, who was only grazed in the arm.

By this time two more CVS employees had picked up the chase, and Galveston police were on the way. They had little trouble running down the huffing, puffing ice cream thief, who was arrested and charged with robbery. Plum Applewhite is now looking at two to 20 years in prison. It'll be a long time before his next Blue Bell country day.