ROME: An amusing incident proved books can stop burglary and crime… quite literally! A thief in Rome recently found himself caught not by the police, but by a good book. According to Italian media, this intruder broke into an apartment via the balcony, but instead of diving into a life of crime, he stumbled upon a copy of Homer’s Iliad on a bedside table.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting: instead of searching for valuables, the man, a 71-year-old with a newfound appreciation for Greek mythology, decided to get cozy with the book. As he immersed himself in the epic tales of ancient Greece, he lost all interest in the burglary and made himself quite at home – or at least as at home as one can be in someone else’s bedroom.

The homeowner, woken up by the sight of a stranger deeply engrossed in literature, had a rather surreal confrontation. Rather than being the usual scene of a scuffle, it was more like a quiet chat about Homer’s heroics. When the police arrived, the thief, who seemed genuinely confused, explained that he thought he had ended up in a B&B. “I saw the book, got curious, and decided to read,” he told them, proving that sometimes a good story can really change your plans.

So, in a way, books aren’t just for bedtime stories or self-improvement – they might also double as crime prevention tools. This incident serves as a quirky reminder that even in the world of crime, a compelling book can literally stop a thief in his tracks.

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Next time you’re reading, remember, you might just be saving someone from a life of crime – or at least making their day a bit more interesting!