Two would-be thieves who failed to trick a carwash change machine with a $10 bill on a string were busted when they asked the manager to retrieve their stuck bill, according to Winona police.

A 21-year-old Winona woman and 25-year-old man from Buffalo City, Wis., went to E-Z Carwash at Ronald Avenue and West King Street on the evening of Oct. 18. With a security video camera rolling, they smoothed out a bill, attached a string and fed it into the slot. The machine ate the bill, and the string broke off, according to police.

The woman kicked the machine, and they left, police said.

The next day they called the manager and asked for a refund. The manager found the bill, complete with tape and holes in it for the string.

When the woman showed up, the manager took down her license plate number, showed her the videotape and contacted police.

Police said Friday that prosecutors likely would charge the couple with possessing a theft tool.

This article was found on LacrosseTribune.com