In a case likely to be nominated for the “America’s Dumbest Criminals” TV show, Edmonds police warned Monday that felons should be careful whom they text.

According to police spokesman Sgt. Mike Blackburn, just after midnight March 14, an Edmonds detective received a text message on his department-issued cell phone from an unknown subject asking, “Who is this?” Since the detective didn’t recognize the telephone number, he sent a simple reply requesting the identity of the sender.

Throughout the next two days, the as-yet-unknown texter continued to exchange somewhat casual messages with the detective, apparently unaware of who he was sending them to. “For some reason, on the third day the subject’s demeanor changed when he sent a terse message to the police detective that demanded, “Come get me, (expletive omitted)!”  Blackburn said.

 The detective decided to research the phone number and found  it was assigned to a 29-year old Shoreline man who had two outstanding felony warrants for his arrest.  Therefore, the detective obliged the man — who was already well-known to Edmonds police — and went to get him, making the arrest March 16.

The criminal’s texting has now been placed on hold while he spends time at the Snohomish County Jail, Blackburn said.