A burglar who was caught in the act by homeowners in Santa Fe, New Mexico, apologized, then left $200 on a chair while walking out to pay for the window that he had broken to gain entry.
The incident took place on Sunday afternoon. The homeowners, whose identities have been kept anonymous, returned home to discover the suspect, who had reportedly slept there, bathed, ate food, and drank beer, according to a Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office report cited by the Albuquerque Journal.
The suspect had a duffel bag and an AR-15 scoped rifle but did not threaten the homeowners. According to the report, the suspect explained to the homeowner that his family had been killed in east Texas and he was "running from somebody." The suspect said he had been driving, but his vehicle broke down 100 miles outside of town, according to the report, which quoted the homeowner as saying "the male was extremely embarrassed and apologetic about the situation."
The suspect then picked up his duffel bag and the AR-15 and walked out, dropping $200 on a living room chair on his way out, saying it was "reimbursement for the window he broke," the report stated, adding that larceny to the homeowner’s property totaled $15.
Two deputies searched the area but failed to locate the man, who was described as being mid-to-late-20s, 6-feet tall, and wearing a blue jacket and baggy jeans. The case is still under investigation.
While this suspect was apologetic, a thief over in India made headlines recently after leaving behind an angry letter when he failed to find money after breaking into a house. The homeowner returned home to discover that about $400 in cash and some jewelry items were missing, according to Newsweek. He also found a note that was translated as reading: "Why was [the] house locked when there was no money, collector."
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