"Once a Thief" guest stars Ron Glass, soon to play Det. Sergeant Harris on BARNEY MILLER, previously seen in "The Card Sharps." As Herman Edwards, he is a parolee just released after spending two years in prison, paying his debt for having been present at the scene of a crime. Grady has to hide all the valuables, putting his radio in the freezer, while Herman spends his time looking for a job. Enter Aunt Esther, looking to fill a position in her hardware store, hiring Herman on the spot. He wants to let her know about his criminal past, but is sworn to secrecy by Lamont. By the time she learns the truth, via his honest answer about where he's been, she decides to fire him: "she just raised her arms to heaven and said the truth will set you free, then she opened the door and freed me!" Until he played a dapper New York cop for 8 seasons Ron Glass often played shady characters.