# Oops. Burglar didn't think this through. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 30, 2015, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998 "2015-11-30T00:50:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/1 "2015-11-30T00:50:14Z")
[Intruder dies in California chimney after homeowner lights fire](http://news.yahoo.com/intruder-dies-california-chimney-homeowner-lights-fire-192956744.html) > [@](#): > > (Reuters) - A suspected burglar who attempted to enter a California home through the chimney died on Saturday after the homeowner lit a fire without realizing anyone was inside, police said. Oops. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/2 "2015-11-30T00:52:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Intruder dies in California chimney after homeowner lights fire](http://news.yahoo.com/intruder-dies-california-chimney-homeowner-lights-fire-192956744.html) > > Oops. Santa Claus? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/3 "2015-11-30T00:56:43Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Intruder dies in California chimney after homeowner lights fire](http://news.yahoo.com/intruder-dies-california-chimney-homeowner-lights-fire-192956744.html) > > Oops. > [@](#): > > The deceased man’s identity and **cause of death** have not been determined, Snakebite is unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/4 "2015-11-30T01:05:55Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Snakebite is unlikely. I assume they mean its not yet known if the we would-be burglar died of smoke-inhalation if had perished before the fire was lit. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/5 "2015-11-30T01:11:14Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I assume they mean its not yet known if the we would-be burglar died of smoke-inhalation if had perished before the fire was lit. Article said the homeowner heard him start yelling after he lit the fire. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/6 "2015-11-30T01:16:14Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Article said the homeowner heard him start yelling after he lit the fire. Take your facts back to Canada where they belong, hippie. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/7 "2015-11-30T01:16:35Z")
If that burglar was Jewish somebody is in deep doo doo. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/8 "2015-11-30T01:16:36Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Article said the homeowner heard him start yelling after he lit the fire. **Bambi:** Who said ‘Lawks-a-lordy, my bottom’s on fire’? _[Kendal Mintcake buzzes in]_ **Kendal Mintcake:** Lenin! **Bambi:** Yes, well I can accept that, though the exact answer was Joan of Arc. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/9 "2015-11-30T04:06:47Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Article said the homeowner heard him start yelling after he lit the fire. Snakebite it was, then! Memo to all Christian households: No fires in fireplaces on Xmas eve! ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/10 "2015-11-30T04:19:21Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Take your facts back to Canada where they belong, hippie. bwahahahahahahahhaahahahahahaha ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/11 "2015-11-30T05:01:24Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > If that burglar was Jewish somebody is in deep doo doo. So Jesus can be Jewish but Santa Claus can’t be? 😕 ♫ _The burglar, the burglar, the burglar’s on fire, The burglar, the burglar, the burglar’s on fire, The burglar, the burglar, the burglar’s on fire, We don’t need no water let the motherfucker burn, Burn motherfucker burn._ ♫♪ ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/12 "2015-11-30T06:25:00Z")
As a pyrophobe, all I can say is, what a horrible way to die! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/13 "2015-11-30T07:32:22Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > As a pyrophobe, all I can say is, what a horrible way to die! And yet, quite easily avoided. ---
**Author:** ![yawuntz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@yawuntz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawuntz)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/14 "2015-11-30T08:25:54Z")
True enough, but ghastly just the same. If it was my place I would have preferred that he just fall off the roof, break a few bones, and get busted. Unless he was planning to fuck with my family. In which case, a long, low fire would be just the ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/15 "2015-11-30T08:34:50Z")
The burglar had gotten into other houses by huffing and puffing, but it didn’t work this time. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/16 "2015-11-30T12:09:42Z")
He forgot to bring his bound. Santa Claus knows to never go down a chimney without his bound! ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/17 "2015-11-30T12:18:21Z")
I’m assuming there are chimneys that are bigger than the ones in houses I’ve owned. The flue liners were generally about a foot square on the outside, so narrower on the inside, plus there’s a damper between the fireplace/firebox and the flue. Then again, I’ll also assume that someone who tries to break into a house in this manner isn’t the brightest bulb on the chandelier. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/18 "2015-11-30T12:44:41Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > The burglar had gotten into other houses by huffing and puffing, but it didn’t work this time. _slow clap_ If it wasn’t for the guys death, this would be great for a show I occasionally watch online called _[What the Fuck is Wrong With You?](https://www.youtube.com/user/nash076/videos)_ ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/19 "2015-11-30T13:20:19Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Article said the homeowner heard him start yelling after he lit the fire. I can’t imagine being the homeowner. Due to completely random circumstances, his actions contributed to the death of someone. I can’t imagine hearing that trapped burgler’s yelling and scrambling to put out the fire, let alone waiting for police/FD to show up and break out the trapped (now) body. No crime on the homeowner’s part, obviously, but perhaps a need to talk with someone. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998/20 "2015-11-30T15:16:13Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I can’t imagine being the homeowner. Due to completely random circumstances, his actions contributed to the death of someone. I can’t imagine hearing that trapped burgler’s yelling and scrambling to put out the fire, let alone waiting for police/FD to show up and break out the trapped (now) body. > > No crime on the homeowner’s part, obviously, but perhaps a need to talk with someone. No kidding. No matter what anyone may or may not deserve, I’d greatly prefer that no one die on my property, especially by my own hand. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-burglar-didnt-think-this-through/738998.md?page=2)