Dying thief who took 'Wizard of Oz' ruby slippers from museum to avoid jail time

A dying thief who took the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz as a "final score" will not be sent to jail because he is housebound under hospice care with only months to live.

Terry Jon Martin, 76, a former mobster, took the slippers from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 after a friend goaded him about one last score and said they had to have contained precious stones because they were insured for $1 million.

At the time, Martin had been out of prison for 10 years and had ostensibly put his criminal activities behind him.

When he found out the slippers did not contain any valuable jewels, he got rid of them. They were recovered in 2018.

Martin was only arrested last year for taking the slippers after police found him through phone records.

He was ordered to pay $23,500 in restitution for his crime at the rate of $300 per month.