As the sun began to rise over the city, John pulled his car into the parking lot of the abandoned warehouse. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he stepped out of the car and made his way inside. He had been planning this heist for months, and now it was finally time to put his plan into action.

John crept through the dimly lit corridors, the sound of his footsteps echoing off the concrete walls. He knew the layout of the warehouse like the back of his hand, having spent weeks studying the building's security system. He reached the main office and quickly went to work on the lock, expertly picking it open with a few deft twists of his wrist.

Once inside, John began rifling through the desk, searching for the key to the safe that held the company's entire payroll. It was hidden in a drawer, just as he had suspected. John grinned to himself as he pocketed the key, feeling a rush of excitement and adrenaline. This was what he lived for - the thrill of the heist, the rush of stealing from the wealthy and powerful.

But John's excitement was short-lived. As he was making his way back to the safe, he heard the sound of sirens outside. Someone must have tipped off the cops. John cursed under his breath and quickly made his way to the back door, hoping to escape before the police arrived.

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But it was too late. The door was blocked by a group of heavily armed officers, their guns trained on John. He knew he had no choice but to surrender.

As he was led away in handcuffs, John couldn't help but feel a sense of regret. He had always known that his life as a criminal would come to an end eventually, but he had never thought it would end like this. He had always been good at what he did, but in the end, it had all been for nothing.

Over the next few weeks, John was locked up in a maximum-security prison, awaiting trial for his crimes. He was surrounded by violent offenders and hardened criminals, and he knew that his life would never be the same again.

But even as he sat in his cell, John couldn't shake the feeling that he had missed his chance at redemption. He had always been a good thief, but maybe he could have been so much more. Maybe he could have used his skills for good, instead of for his own selfish gain.

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, John began to realize that his life as a criminal was over. He would never be able to go back to his old life, and he would have to pay the price for his actions. But he also knew that, deep down, he still had a spark of goodness inside him. And maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to make things right.