The story: Breaking into the house was the easy part for a suspected burglar in Portland, Ore. The hard part was getting back out. The suspect, Timothy James Chapek, was in the bathroom, showering, when the homeowner returned, apparently unexpectedly. With two German shepherds at his side, the resident asked the intruder what he was doing in the house. Chapek then locked himself in the bathroom and called 911, afraid the homeowner might have a gun, according to Portland police. When officers arrived, they arrested Chapek.
The reaction: File this one in the folder marked "stupid criminals," says Doug Mataconis at Outside the Beltway. Even in America, which practically invented boneheaded crimes, calling the cops on yourself is one for the books. Well, Portland has more than its share of liberals, says Maggie at Weasel Zippers, so it's not really shocking that it also has "antiwar peace-loving criminals." As it turns out, the homeowner was not armed, says Katla McGlynn at The Huffington Post, just scared — she dialed 911, too. Sounds like this bungling burglar should find a new line of work.