Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Missouri: Man thwarts three would-be burglars

Kansas City, Missouri

From the Kansas City Star of March 11, 2008
Man thwarts three would-be burglars

The pounding of feet against his front door awoke a 56-year-old Kansas City man early Tuesday.

“Was that you?” Les Daniel called to his 10-year-old grandson in another bedroom.

“No,” the boy replied.

Daniel climbed from bed, grabbed two handguns and prepared for a showdown.

He recounted to a Kansas City Star reporter the story of the break-in at 2:20 a.m. Tuesday in the 4400 block of East 68th Terrace.

When he peered into his darkened dining room, fish tank lights illuminated a hooded stranger slinking across the room to inspect a home computer.

“Who is it?” Daniel asked.

“KCP,” the stranger replied, an apparent reference to Kansas City police.

Daniel saw a second stranger and heard a third. He wondered whether to confront them or just kill them.

“I was behind two of them, and they didn’t even know it. I could have killed them really quick,” he recalled. “But they looked young. And if I start shooting, they’re gonna shoot back.”

Not wanting to endanger his wife and grandson, Daniel called out: “Whatever you think I got, you’re wrong! There ain’t anything in here! You’re about ready to die over $8!”

He chambered a round in his .357-caliber Glock with a loud click. The intruders fled.

Daniel couldn’t figure why his house was targeted.

“I guess it looks like I got something, but I don’t,” he said.

Unable to secure his splintered front door, he stayed up the rest of the night in case the intruders returned. Later, he bought a new door with a strike plate, and a new wrought-iron screen door.

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