A book on Greek mythology caught the eye of a would-be burglar in Rome, leading to him getting caught red handed.
The Italian press are reporting on an attempted burglary in the Prati district of Rome. A 38-year-old housebreaker had entered via a balcony while the occupants were still asleep, noticed the copy of a book about Homer’s Iliad, and thought he’d have a browse through its pages.
So engrossed was the thief that he didn’t notice the 71-year-old owner had woken up and called the police. Caught off-guard, the would-be burglar tried to make a run for it, escaping by the same balcony, but it was too late and the police had already arrived.
Hermes, god of thieves and books
The book that captured the attention of the burglar, ‘The Gods at 6 o’clock’, told the story of Iliad from the perspective of the gods. In his defence, the man claimed to have climbed onto the balcony to see a friend of his, but had got the wrong flat, saw the book and started reading it.
On hearing the news, the author of the book was delighted and wants to ensure the alleged thief gets a copy of his own so that he can finish it. He also said that his own favourite Greek god was Hermes, the God of Thieves and Books.
