Facebook has become one of the more popular tools for socializing. Sure, it was the kids who got Facebook started but today practically everybody does Facebook. There’s a downside to report this week. A family in Washington, D. C., recently was burglarized by a guy you could characterize as both bold and stupid.

According to The Washington Post, Webster’s basement door in Northwest Washington was kicked in and the entire house ransacked. Webster was upset mostly by the theft of his laptop which contained all of his prized photographs — no backups had been made, not even on a thumb drive.

What’s amazing is the crook took Webster’s brand new winter coat out of a Christmas gift box, put it on and then took a picture of himself wearing Webster’s new coat. How do the D. C. cops know about that if the laptop was stolen? Because the crook posted pictures he took of himself on Webster’s Facebook page.

Will the cops nail this burglar? I believe you can count on it, although recovery of the stolen items is never certain. Why do I think he’ll be arrested? First of all they have his picture — full front view. They also know he’s both stupid and vain. They lifted dozens of the burglar's fingerprints from all over the house. His photograph will very likely appear in other places on the internet. With facial recognition software available, cops will eventually obtain an ID.

The Post also reported that another crook was arrested in New York City several days after he mugged a guy on a subway platform. How did the cops make that arrest? They spotted the mugger on his own Facebook page wearing a Scottish family plaid scarf and signet ring which belonged to the victim of the mugging a few days earlier.

Cops everywhere are learning to pay close attention to the internet — especially Facebook and MySpace which some bad guys seem to find irresistible.