Sheep Fold

 

Susan Warren thought of herself as a cleaning professional. She was having trouble finding work, a problem she thought would go away if only she could show people what a good job she could do. So, in 2012, she slipped into what she felt was a prospective client’s home and got busy. She washed some coffee cups, took out the trash, dusted and vacuumed. Then she slipped back out, leaving behind a handwritten note on a paper napkin with her name, phone number and a bill for $75. The homeowners returned to an unexpectedly clean home and an invoice for services rendered. It didn’t take the Cleveland police long to track her down. Susan was charged with burglary, which is “illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime.” As Susan hadn’t stolen anything, I guess the crime was charging $75 for a what was essentially a few minutes’ worth of housework.