It's often said that what goes around comes around, and this was certainly the case for the "world's unluckiest burglars", who accidentally butt-dialed 999 during a break-in.
Chief Inspector John Owen of Staffordshire Police in England said officers were made aware of a break-in on Wednesday night (6 January) after they were alerted by a call from a suspect.
Meanwhile, during a robbery in the US back in 2019, a totally unfazed bar patron lit a cigarette:
CI Owen claims members of the force went on to listen to the burglars' "antics" as they made their way to the scene and were even able to hear their own sirens as they arrived.
After likening the perpetrators to Home Alone's equally unsuccessful Wet Bandits, CI Owen went viral when he recounted the incident on Twitter.
He wrote: "I think we have just arrested the world's unluckiest burglars.
"Whilst committing a burglary one of the bungling burglars has accidentally sat on his phone & dialled 999. We recieve a call detailing all of their antics up to the point of hearing our patrols arrive to arrest them [sic]."
One Twitter user responded to the post joking about the ongoing pandemic with laughing emoji.
They wrote: "Any chance their interview could be aired after it's been dealt with in court please, this would lift the spirits of EVERYONE during these torrid times."
Another Twitter user questioned how the police were able to find the burglars when they had only received a phone call, and another social media user rightfully pointed out that they would have been easily able to trace the call.
Alongside a laughing and a clap emoji, a third Twitter user simply asked if they could be sent the audio from the accidental call.
"Can you send me the audio please," they wrote.
Meanwhile, a fourth Twitter user speculated about how the interview of the burglars might go down, writing: "I'd fight for the chance to take that interview."
Whereas a fifth wrote what everyone - including the officer - was thinking, adding: "Its like a scene from home alone [sic]."
So, if any would-be burglars are reading, this story should serve as a reminder that crime really doesn't pay!
