27 August 2024, 13:49 IST
The perpetrator apparently tried to escape via the same balcony through which he had entered, but was quickly arrested.
When a thief allegedly broke into an apartment to steal, he forgot his plan, all because of a book. The unidentified 38-year-old defendant allegedly entered the apartment in the Italian capital via a balcony, but was immediately distracted when he discovered a book about Homer’s Iliad on the bedside table.
The 71-year-old homeowner, who was present at the time of the break-in, spotted the suspect and questioned him, but the thief was too distracted by the book to notice, NBC15 reported.
The news agency also reported that the perpetrator apparently tried to escape via the same balcony he used to enter, but was quickly arrested.
The book the thief was caught reading was The Gods at Six by Giovanni Nucci. The book’s author was delighted to learn that he had caused such a distraction. He told Italian magazine Il Messaggero: “It’s fantastic. I would love to find the person caught red-handed and give him the book because he would have been arrested in the middle of reading it. I want him to be able to finish it.” (Also read: Thief leaves message for family after stealing cash and gold: ‘Someone is sick in my house…’)
The thief reportedly said he climbed over the balcony to see his friend who lives in the same building.
Earlier, when a thief broke into a doctor’s house in the Indian state of Lucknow, he fell asleep in the comfort of an air conditioner and was eventually caught by the police. (Also read: Thieves high-five and celebrate after looting entire inventory of family’s jewelry store. Watch the shocking video)
The robber entered the locked house, ransacked the belongings, collected the valuables and then switched on the air conditioner to relax. However, the man fell unconscious due to acute intoxication. Meanwhile, the neighbours became suspicious when they found Pandey’s door open in the morning. They reportedly took a look inside and found the house ransacked with items scattered everywhere. Later, the police were alerted.
