Thief returns couple's Xbox along with $50 for breaking their window. His apology note revealed why he couldn't go through with it
Alongside the returned electronics, the bag had a crisp $50 bill and a typed apology letter
Geulph, Ontario, is the kind of tight-knit, peaceful community where people trust their neighbors explicitly. It turns out that small-town safety is so infectious that even a local burglar couldn't bring themselves to actually go through with a crime. The bizarre turn of events unfolded back in 2012 after the intruder slipped into a home while the residents were out. Instead of running off with the loot, the thief did something no one would've expected, as reported by CTV News on 1 August 2012.
A brief evening stroll
The chain of events occurred when the residents of the home stepped out of the house for a routine evening walk with their family dog. Taking advantage of this brief window of absence, the intruder broke into the home unnoticed. The thief quietly gathered a camera and a video game console before fleeing into the night, leaving the homeowner completely unaware that a break-in had even taken place.
A surprising doorstep discovery
The next morning, the household woke up to a bizarre sight right outside their entryway. Instead of realizing they were robbed by checking their empty shelves, the family discovered a mysterious green bag sitting at their doorstep. Upon opening it, they were stunned to find the missing electronics completely unharmed, revealing that the stolen items had already returned. However, that's not all that the bag contained.
The letter
Alongside the returned electronics, the bag had a crisp $50 bill and a typed apology letter detailing the thief's sudden crisis of conscience. In the note, the remorseful intruder confessed that the break-in was "the worst mistake of my life," explaining that the act was driven by sudden financial desperation. The thief explicitly stated they had left the money to cover the cost of repairing the window screen they had cut to gain entry into the home. "I would also commit to at least 15 hours of community service to partially help atone for what I have done," they further wrote. Although the thief didn't explicitly mention it, perhaps they also were wary about the low crime rate in the town, as the statement suggests.
Burglaries are impulsive
Nonetheless, most burglaries aren't well planned. In fact, according to a study conducted by The Zebra, only about 12% of break-ins were planned in advance. Moreover, about 95% involve a forceful entry into the home. This means physical damage to the victim's property, similar to what happened in this case. The most targeted locations for burglars are the front doors, with 34% using them to break in. Meanwhile, windows account for 23% of break-ins, followed closely by back doors at 22%.
Police respond with skepticism
The situation left everyone, including the police, stunned. However, they tried to maintain a strictly legal perspective on the matter. "Just when you lose your faith in humanity," said Guelph Police Sgt. Doug Pflug. At the same time, locals highlighted that even though the intruder returned the goods, no one can deny that a crime was committed. The police also acknowledged this and started looking for potential suspects. "Even though they say this is the first time they've committed a crime, how do you know?" they stated.
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