I can't remember if I already told you about this: A couple of weeks ago we were shocked to hear about a tourist in Las Vegas who was kidnapped from the Strip, transported to an empty apartment east of there, beaten, and robbed. The perps took his hotel key and burgled his room, stealing his cell phone - this . He escaped when they were driving around trying to decide what to do with him.

This 40-year old small businessman from west Texas was in town for a convention. He said a woman asked him for change out on the street as he was returning to his room at 5 am. He pulled out his wad of cash and made the change, and then a few feet later a different woman pulled a gun on him, cloth sack was placed over his head, and he was driven to an empty apartment.

The man sharing his hotel room noticed he was gone, but figured he was out partying, and when the cell phone and stuff disappeared, figured the owner came and got them. There was even a surveillance video of two of the perps entering the hotel room.

We were shocked. Things happen, and it sounds like this guy was careless, but still, we don't like to think of this kind of thing going on.

A couple of days ago the following news item was in the paper:

"Strip grab is a hoax

Police: Texas tourist was not kidnapped

By ANTONIO PLANAS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
The news was alarming: Last month, police announced that a tourist was abducted at gunpoint from the Strip and held captive for more than 24 hours before escaping to safety.

But after sorting through conflicting stories, police confirmed this week that the 40-year-old man's tale about being kidnapped at random was untrue, as were other claims he made to investigators.

Lt. Clint Nichols said the fact the man wasn't abducted from the Strip is about the only detail police became certain of when they tried to unravel what really happened to the Pflugerville, Texas, resident during a two-day span beginning on Jan 15.

"He came into town specifically looking for drugs and sex, and he found it on the streets of Las Vegas," Nichols said of the small business owner, whose name was not released.

The dilemma police faced of whether to go public with the man's claim illustrates the decisions they sometimes face when separating fact from fiction. Although Nichols said the man's story caused public concern, there is nothing he would change if a similar scenario unfolded.

In addition, police spokesman Bill Cassell said investigators invested "hundreds and hundreds of hours" proving the original allegations were false. Nichols said two detectives and one sergeant were assigned the case full time for six days.

The man claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint about 5 a.m. on a pedestrian overpass near Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road. The alleged victim also told police some sort of material was placed over his head while he was in a older model, four-door sedan. He was then driven to an unknown apartment complex assumed to be in the Las Vegas valley, he told police.

The tourist said he was beaten at the complex and that he gave the suspects his Caesars Palace room key. Police originally said two suspects then ransacked the room and stole the man's property.

According to the man, the ordeal ended when he escaped his captors and was found by police about 8 a.m. Jan. 16 near the area of Polaris Avenue and Russell Road. The tourist told police two of the suspects argued about what to do with him prior to his escape. That's when he fled from a car and called police .

Police said when they found the man, he was disheveled from hiding out in the desert. Nichols said the tourist's story gained credibility when a man staying with him at Caesars Palace told investigators their room indeed had been burglarized. The second tourist told police he didn't even know the purported victim was missing because he figured he was partying.

Nichols said almost immediately following their news conference, police were contacted by two of the people they were looking for in the case whose images were captured in a still video from a hallway at Caesars Palace. They told police the tourist was not forced anywhere against his will and that he sold his personal belongings so he could get money for drugs. The two then directed police to two additional people police were looking for who told the same story. The man's belongings were recovered, Nichols said.

At least one of the suspects told police they met the man on the Strip and went with him to a motel on Tropicana Avenue, although police are unsure of the exact location, where they took drugs.

Even though the tourist lied about being abducted and recanted portions of his story, he stuck to his account of his property being stolen and that, at some point during the episode, he was indeed held against his will.

Nichols said police submitted their findings to the Clark County district attorney's office last week, presenting all the information they gathered.

Nichols said police did not recommend charges against the tourist because they don't want to discourage victims from talking to police, even if they may have put themselves in compromising positions.

No arrests have been made in the investigation.

Clark County District Attorney David Roger said Thursday his office is "in the process of issuing a denial in the case."

Roger said police submitted recommended charges of first-degree kidnapping, robbery and burglary against two suspects. But the case can't be prosecuted based on what police have unearthed.

"We did not feel we could go forward with the case when the victim admitted to detectives that he lied about the event," Roger said. He added that his office won't consider the misdemeanor charge of false reporting of a crime unless police submit a separate recommended charge against the tourist.

Nichols said police may never know exactly what transpired when the central Texan visited Sin City.

"We got a victim whose credibility is shot," Nichols said. "We have suspects that came forward once the picture was released and provided us with their own story of what occurred. ... We're left in the middle trying to figure out exactly what happened."