We Caught the Burglars
At 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning, I was awakened from deep sleep by the phone ringing. It was the burglar alarm company.
"There has been an intrusion at Hayward Wesleyan Church. The alarms are going off as we speak. The police are on their way, and you need to get there immediately!"
Quickly, I jumped out of bed, hopped in the car, and drove like Jehu to the church.
Two police cars sat in our parking lot, as a third cased the surrounding neighborhood with a searchlight.
A couple of young, nervous officers approached me. "There's no sign of forced entry, reverend, but there's definitely something going on inside the building! I think we're going to catch 'em red handed!"
I opened the door for them, and they entered -- guns drawn and raised high like a SWAT team. They really meant business. If anybody was in the church, these guys were going to take him down!
I had to wait outside, until they scoped out the situation. After a long time, they finally returned, with guns drawn, short sideways steps, and furtive glances from side to side.
"We didn't find anything, but there were a few areas we couldn't get to. How about if you come back in with us -- and we'll cover you!!"
So, inside the church I went, with the two antsy armed escorts pointing their guns in the air.
I thought for a moment of shouting "BOO!" just to see what would happen -- but better sense told me my church board wouldn't appreciate the walls riddled with bullet holes.
Then, I recalled one little piece of information the burglar alarm company lady told me over the phone -- that the motion was coming from our youth pastor's office. When I shared this with the officers, their eyes widened. They had not yet explored that area.
Quickly, cautiously, the three of us tip-toed to the office. I opened the door, and swiftly one of the officers turned the corner and aimed his gun. . .
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Helium balloons! Our youth pastor's office was stuffed with balloons left over from Friday night's Valentine Banquet! We had found the culprit!!
I thought that was hilarious -- and worth getting up at 3:30 in the morning!!
I joked, "Maybe you should put these guys in the back of the sqad car, and take 'em down to the station for questioning!"
They failed to see the humor in my suggestion.
I accidentally did something similar once at the place I worked. I decorated for Christmas with paper chains and when the forced air heat went on, the motion sensor alarm went off! The chains were down when I came in the next morning....
ReplyDeleteI had a well-needed laugh at that one, my friend!
ReplyDeleteI remember being on patrol one night and going into a warehouse and being asked to secure the exit door in case the burgler ran from the other officers. As I waited, I peered through the semi-darkness and saw the crook croaching under the stairs. He was so close I almost wet my newly-pressed uniform! Just as I was about to holler or call for back-up, I saw it for what it was - a roll of black netting!
The joke was on me!!