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Yet more examples of burglaries that didn’t go to plan
We have covered the topic of bungling burglars several times before but it seems there is a bottomless supply of ‘disaster criminals’ whose dastardly capers don’t go to plan. Here are yet more examples of why crime doesn’t pay.
So right it’s wrong
Designer brand shoes can fetch a good price on the black market so this thief targeted a shoe shop selling Jordan trainers in Virginia, USA. It was all well planned; donning a ski mask he broke into the shop in the early hours and grabbed all the trainers he could from the shelves and made off with his haul. Unfortunately for him, as is often the custom in shoe shops, only right-footed shoes were out on display, their left counterparts were stored separately. We expect he was hopping mad when he discovered he had 8 odd shoes.
Read the full story here.
I’d like to return this TV
These burglars thought they’d struck gold when they discovered a huge flat screen TV in the Dallas home they raided. Unfortunately their big plans hit a small snag – the SUV they’d brought to carry off their ill gotten gains was too small for the TV! After several attempts to get it into the car, they gave up – and took it back into the house. Presumably they weren’t completely satisfied with their item.
Read the full story here.
Do you want to take what you’ve got so far or gamble on more takings later?
In true game show style, a cunning shop-owner in Belgium offered armed robbers a tempting choice when they demanded cash from the till: take what I have now or come back later when there will be much more to steal. He berated them for attempting to rob the shop at 3.30pm when they could have a full day’s takings at the end of the day and advised that they should come back then. Amazingly, they decided this was a good plan and left. The shop owner then contacted the police but they didn’t believe anyone would be stupid enough to come back and so didn’t respond. Turns out they WERE stupid enough and returned at 5.30pm. However, the quick thinking retailer informed them that they still weren’t doing it right and that they should come back at closing time. This time the police appreciated their great level of gullibility and were waiting for them when they returned, as advised, at 6.30 when they were promptly arrested.
Read the full story here.
Puzzled bank robbers
The objective of an escape room is that you try to get out of it, the clue is in the name! However, a pair of thieves in Manchester decided it was a better idea to break IN to one. Not only is that a silly idea given that each of the themed rooms are full of CCTV cameras for the purposes of the games, but they actually ransacked the bank themed room as if it were a real bank, prizing open fake safety deposit boxes and safes when in fact all they contained was puzzles.
Read the full story here.
You are the highest bidder – on your own item!
One of the basic requirements of being a thief is that you need to have the channels to liquidate any stolen items. This tends to be a discreet network of dodgy dealers who will buy your stolen goods. It is not a globally available online selling site where tracking down items is just a keyword search away. This bodging burglar broke every rule, firstly stealing from his own neighbour and then listing the stolen items on eBay. The victim recognised his own watch, placed his winning bid and arranged to meet him – along with police officers who arrested him on the spot. Upon searching his home, they found the rest of the items he’d stolen.
Read the full story here.
Scuppered by his supper
Burgling is hungry work and there’s nothing worse than your belly rumbling while you’re rummaging. This intruder wasn’t happy with raiding the cupboard for a biscuit while on a job, he took the time to cook himself a meal and sat and ate it before making off with his swag and a full belly. Unfortunately, Looters That Lunch also get caught and he was identified from the DNA he left on his spoon.
Read the full story here.
On a serious note
While these stories certainly have a humorous side, burglary is not funny and there’s always a victim – even the thought of someone getting into your home can be traumatising. Most burglars are significantly more savvy than the ones mentioned here so it’s really important to keep your home secure. We strongly advise good anti-snap locks and an intruder alarm plus CCTV can be a good deterrent. If you are concerned about your home’s security, please call us on 0800 612 9799 or send us a message.