MOUSE TRAP: When Hard Decisions Need to Be Made
It’s never easy having to decide the fate of a suspect.
Warning: This is Episode 2 of the MOUSE TRAP three-part true story series. It is strongly advised that you read the dramatic first episode, MOUSE TRAP: An Intruder is Discovered in the Garage, prior to this installment.
Continued Report:
I took a bus from the office to the scene of the crime, and it provided me with the time I needed to toss around some ideas of what to do next with the perpetrator.
Were the actions taken sufficient for capital punishment? I struggled to agree with this method for a simple trespassing incident. It was possible that breaking and entering or vandalism charges could be added, but up to that point, there wasn’t any evidence of those crimes.
I arrived, surveyed the surroundings, and then began to put together a plan. I decided to remove the snow boot lockdown device and then used a cardboard flip maneuver to reposition the suspect from under the bucket to inside it.
As I slowly removed the cardboard, I warned the young bystanders that they might not like what they see inside. The convict had spent hours in the isolation chamber, with no food or water, and little oxygen, and there was no telling what kind of an impact those conditions would have on him.
This time, we were lucky. The little fuzz ball slowly walked around the inside of the bucket, trying to understand its new environment. I took pity on it and added some water and peanut butter into the temporary prison cell.
To the relief of the young crowd, the final verdict resulted in a soft sentence. Rather than executing the poor trespasser, it was decided to take the rodent to a field far from the scene of the crime, in hopes that rehabilitation would help this criminal from becoming a repeat offender.
The three young children, the woman, and the mouse in the bucket all gathered into my car, and we went searching for a suitable habitat for rehabilitation.
Not knowing its ultimate fate, the small prisoner decided to try to jump for freedom. While its leaping skills were impressive, and ultimately unexpected, it didn’t quite have the athletism to ascend above the slick cell walls. It did, however, disturb the young child that was charged with the inmate’s supervision.
Finally, the appropriate rehabilitation destination was discovered, and Suspect 32657 was released. It hesitantly left behind its temporary place of holding, and then dashed off into a new life, and hopefully, a life without crime.
Stay tuned for the shocking conclusion in the final episode — MOUSE TRAP: The Suspect Makes a Statement.
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