A Franklin homeowner is offering $100,000 out of his own pocket to anyone who can help him get back what two hooded intruders took from his house while he and his wife were away on vacation. Chuck McDowell says the burglars spent more than four hours inside his home, including roughly three hours trying to pry open his safe, according to WKRN.
McDowell and his wife returned from a family vacation in Florida to find a broken window at their Franklin home, according to WKRN News 2. Now he is asking neighbors to help identify who broke in on Saturday, Oct. 24. Camera footage reportedly showed the two suspects covering a camera with gloves and spraying lights or cameras with black spray paint they had taken from the couple's own shed.
Hours Spent Hunting for a Safe
Per the same account, the suspects spent only about 30 to 45 minutes actually taking items, but lingered far longer trying to crack McDowell's safe. “They spent maybe 30 to 45 minutes on what they took,” McDowell said. “They spent maybe three hours trying to get into my safe.” Among the stolen items were McDowell's watches, including one with deep sentimental value. “One of the watches is a watch my wife gave me on our 10th wedding anniversary,” he said, as WKRN reported.
McDowell and his wife called the Franklin Police Department after discovering the break-in, and the department is now investigating, per a report from WKRN. McDowell says he is willing to pay handsomely for any tip that leads to recovering what was taken. “If somebody can lead us to get our stuff back, I'm more than happy to give them a $100,000 reward,” he said.
Precautions and Next Steps
The Franklin Police Department has acknowledged that residential burglaries can happen even when homeowners take precautions, but it has still recommended a list of safety steps: locking doors and windows, using lights on timers, securing valuables, pausing mail and package deliveries while away, and asking a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on the property. McDowell and his wife say they now plan to increase security at their own home in the wake of the break-in.
While Franklin police continue investigating the case, McDowell is hoping his reward offer — and the unusual four-hour window the intruders spent inside his home — will jog someone's memory and bring his family's belongings back.
