Burglars went from our house to big house
- Laura Moore: Housebroken
- September 12, 2023
- 646
For all their size and weight, our houses are vulnerable. They can fall prey to insects, rodents, strong winds and the worst of all — burglars.
For our houses to be invaded by persons with criminal intent is the ultimate degradation. Our places are helpless — they can’t run, nor can they hide. They are susceptible to being robbed and, heaven help them, sometimes vandalized.
Properly armed with an alarm system, a house can scream for help. But without such a defensive weapon, our houses are dependent upon their owners to protect them.
Locks and bolts also are effective deterrents to criminals — when they are used. Many years ago our house was attacked by burglars. We had gone out to run a few errands and forgot to close a kitchen window. Two strangers came to the front door, knocking and ringing the doorbell.
When no one answered, those men checked the back door and began to investigate the windows. When they discovered the open kitchen window, they climbed into our house and began to search for valuables. This was a new experience for our house. Through no fault of her own, our house was being victimized.
Adding insult to injury, those thieves opened closets, rummaged through drawers, and left their dirty handprints all over the windows, walls and woodwork. Suddenly, it happened! Somehow our house blasted forth with a telepathic scream of outrage that alerted her nearest occupant. That family member felt a compelling urge to return home. He walked in, saw the open window and felt the tension in the house grip him like a vise. Dialing 911 brought the police, but not before the two terrified burglars escaped out the back door.
Those thieves were caught within an hour trying to sell the few articles they had managed to steal, including a bag of wooden nickels. Both criminals seemed not too bright and rather frightened. Breaking and entering an innocent house earned those thieves time in another house — a big, unfriendly place with bars on the windows.