A homeowner sets a trap to stop a burglar and catches him red-handed. Thief gets a wet surprise and a jail sentence.
Many people watch “Home Alone” at Christmas. Kevin protects his home with clever traps. This kind of thing sometimes happens in real life.
This man lived in Blyth, Northumberland. His house was a frequent target for burglars. He decided to create a simple trap. He tied string to a bucket in his garden. The string led to his front door. Anyone tripping the string would spill the water.
Paul Howell, age 56, tried to break in. It happened on Bondicar Terrace around 3 AM on November 9th of last year. Home CCTV caught the thief getting a wet surprise.
Howell wore all black and covered his face. He walked to the front door. The bucket of water dumped on his feet. Startled, he quickly ran away.
Howell received a three-year jail sentence. He fell victim to the “Home Alone” style trap. He tried the windows but found them locked. He then kicked the bucket near the patio, which caused him to bolt, the lawyer said.
The homeowner had installed CCTV after prior burglaries. The footage showed a masked man trying to break in. The man also urinated on the side of the house. A police officer recognized Howell in the footage. Howell then burgled another house on November 15th. He has 108 previous convictions.
The homeowner told the court about his frustrations, stating that burglars seemed to line up to rob him. Two people were already imprisoned for attacking his property. He felt complete contempt for them.
The TikTok video got many comments. One person joked about wet socks making him surrender. Another laughed about wet shoes. Someone suggested using swinging paint cans instead.
Finally, someone quoted “Home Alone.” They joked that kids ruined his plan.