The editors of The Seattle Times couldnt resist running (pardon the pun) the following story on the front page yesterday. They also couldnt decide on a headline so they gave the story two.

CUSTOMER REFUND HIGHLY IRREGULAR

MAN ASKS FOR $2 FROM EX-LAX; TAKES $98,002 AND RUNS

By Richard Seven

Seattle Times Staff Reporter

Authorities are searching for a former Kent man they say found relief in the form of an erroneous $98,002 refund from the makers of Ex-Lax.

Barry Lyn Stoller, 38, wrote a letter demanding the maker of the laxative reimburse him the $1.99 he paid for a package of the product after, he claimed, it failed to work, according to first-degree theft charges filed in King County Superior Court.

The New Jersey-based Sandoz Corp. immediately issued a refund check, but mistakenly wrote the amount to correspond not to the $1.99 cost but to Stollers zip code, 98032.

King County prosecutors allege Stoller deposited the check, withdrew the money eight days later, closed his account and left the area without a trace. A private investigator, hired by the company, informed Kent Police that Stoller had moved out of his Kent-Auburn-area apartment and left no forwarding address.

A bank official eventually identified Stoller as the man to whom she paid $98,002 in cash.

An arrest warrant was issued when Stoller, a former drywaller, failed to show up for his arraignment this month.