A woman in Madison, Wisconsin, has been arrested for burglary after allegedly entering a stranger’s home and making herself comfortable enough to prepare a meal.
The Madison Police Department reported that the woman was found cooking shrimp and pasta late Tuesday night when the homeowner returned to find her lights on and an unknown person inside.
When officers arrived at the scene, they encountered the woman casually walking around the house as though it were her own. She “calmly advised officers that she had permission to be in the house from the resident,” the police report said and even went so far as to mention the homeowner by name. According to the police report, the woman claimed she had met the homeowner earlier that day at a coffee shop and had been given the keys.
However, the real homeowner denied knowing the woman and insisted she had never met her.
In addition to cooking a meal, the woman “apparently inspected mail and other items” in an effort to “learn the name of the resident and fabricate a story,” the police report added.
The incident has left locals in Madison, a city about 80 miles west of Milwaukee, stunned.
The woman is now facing charges for burglary and has been taken into custody.
Newsweek has reached out to the Madison Police Department via email for comment.
This incident comes after a March report found that Washington State saw the most burglaries per capita of any state, with 548 burglaries per 100,000 citizens being recorded in 2022.
The second- and third-worst states are New Mexico and Oklahoma, with 481 and 456 burglaries per 100,000 citizens respectively, according to criminal defense firm Suzuki Law Offices, which analyzed FBI crime data.
Fourth on the list was Arkansas with 433.6 burglaries per 100,000 people; fifth, Nevada, with 424.9 burglaries per 100,000; Louisiana is sixth, with 392.7 burglaries per 100,000 citizens; and seventh is Colorado, with 366.9 burglaries per 100,000 people. Eighth, ninth, and 10th were North Dakota, California, and South Carolina, with 366.3 burglaries, 357.2 burglaries and 354.2 reported burglaries per 100,000.
Meanwhile, the safest state in the country for burglaries was found to be New Hampshire, with only 1,013 in 2022, giving it a rate of only 76.2 per 100,000 citizens.
According to Richard Suzuki from Suzuki Law Offices, “This research sheds light on an important and complex issue. It is important to understand that crime is often a symptom of larger societal issues and strategies to address them go beyond law enforcement; investing in community programs, education, job creation, and mental health services can all have a profound impact on reducing crime rates.”
He warned, “With home burglaries, offenders exploit the daytime hours when houses are more likely to be unoccupied due to work or school commitments, making them easier targets.”
In addition, Suzuki offered advice on how to take preventative measures to safeguard homes and businesses from burglary.
“Simple steps like installing robust locks, using security systems, and ensuring proper lighting can significantly deter potential burglars,” Suzuki said.
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