A would-be burglar in Rome was caught when he stopped in the middle of a robbery to read a book about Greek mythology, Italian media reports.
The 38-year-old reportedly gained access to an apartment in the Prati district of the Italian capital via the balcony, but was distracted when he picked up a book about Homer’s Iliad from a bedside table.
The 71-year-old homeowner is said to have woken up and confronted the suspected thief, who was engrossed in the book.
News of the failed robbery caught the attention of the book’s author, who told local media that he wanted to send the man a copy so he could “finish reading” his book.
After being surprised, the suspected robber reportedly attempted to make a quick escape by escaping through the same balcony, but was arrested a short time later.
He is said to have told the police that he climbed the building to visit someone he knew.
“I thought I had landed in a boarding house, saw the book and started reading it.”
Giovanni Nucci, author of The Gods at Six, which explains the Iliad from the perspective of the gods, told Il Messaggero: “It’s fantastic.”
“I want to catch the person red-handed and give them the book because they were probably arrested in the middle of reading it. I want them to be able to finish it.
“It’s a surreal story, but also full of humanity.”
The thief was reportedly in possession of a bag containing expensive clothing that was believed to have been stolen from another home earlier that evening.
Mr. Nucci said his personal favorite deity was Hermes, the god of thieves.
“He is also the god of literature. It’s clear: everything fits,” he joked.
