Across town at the same time the boys were breaking up for the night, the man in the dark blue cover-alls stood, after removing the license plate from his dark sedan. He retrieved a small Mag-lite from his glove compartment and put it in his pocket. He put a screwdriver in one pocket and a pair of pliers in another so they wouldn’t rattle. After donning the black ski mask he turned out the garage light and silently stepped out onto his patio.

He quickly crossed his yard to the paved alley. His goal was the pink trimmed house at the end of his block. It was the home of a high school prinicipal, who, along with his wife were on vacation in Italy.

His footfalls didn’t arouse any of the neighbors dogs, and four minutes later he was at the prinicipals garage door. He reached over the wooden fence and released the catch, allowing him to enter the backyard.

At the entry door of the garage he reached through the window he had broken earlier and unlatched the door. He entered the garage.