By Chris Brooke, dailymail
It was supposed to be an exercise in remorse and rehabilitation.
However, the 16-year-old burglar used the opportunity of writing a letter to his victims to rub salt into their wounds.
Instead of apologising for stealing valuables from a family home, he told the owners that ‘to be honest I’m not bothered or sorry about the fact that I burgled your house’.
Sorry sight: A teenage burglar penned this illiterate and unpleasant letter to the Leeds family he robbed
The teenager arrogantly said the raid was their own fault and told them off for their ‘dumb mistakes’ in making their property a target for thieves such as him.
The habitual offender, who has not been identified, was put on an Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme as punishment for his latest crime.
Described as the ‘most rigorous’ form of non-custodial sentence available for young offenders, writing letters to victims is part of the programme meant to make them change their ways. In the case of this teenager, it clearly didn’t work.
Chief Inspector Melanie Jones said the contents of the letter were 'disgusting' but could prove useful as a warning to householders
His letter was stopped by the authorities before it reached the victims and has now been released as part of an anti-burglary campaign. Written in a scrawl and littered with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, the letter is addressed: ‘Dear Victim.’
He wrote: ‘I don’t no why I am writing a letter to you! I have been forced to write this letter by ISSP.
‘To be honest I’m not bothered or sorry about the fact that I burgled your house. Basicly it was your own fault anyways. I’m going to run you through the dumb mistakes you made. Firstly you didn’t draw your curtains which most people now to do before they go to sleep.
‘Secondly your dumb you live in Stainburns a high risk burglary area and your thick enough to leave your downstairs kitchen window open. I wouldnt do that in a million years.
‘But anyways I don’t feel sorry for you and Im not going to show any sympath or remores.’
The burglar stole a computer games console, camera, camcorder, two TVs and two speakers in the raid in Moortown, Leeds.
Most of the items were recovered and the teenager was arrested. West Yorkshire Police said he had previous convictions for similar offences. In court he was given a 12-month ISSP order, designed to control the behaviour of young offenders through ‘community-based surveillance’.
Chief Inspector Melanie Jones said: ‘The contents of the letter are disgusting but it highlights the cold and dispassionate way burglars select a property to target.’
Local councillor Sharon Hamilton said: ‘How dare he? It’s not for him to be telling people how to look after their homes. He has no right to be breaking into their homes.’
A spokesman for the UK Neighbourhood Watch Trust said the letter was ‘appalling’, but added: ‘Christmas is coming and people like to leave their curtains open so people can see their lights and their tree, but they need to realise the criminal is looking at their TV, radio, computer and the presents under the tree.’
To make sure that you do not fall victim of burglary,ask for a free security survey
sales@thealarmingman.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment