LR Criminal Connects To Community He Wronged
By: Jocelyn Tovar, KARK 4 News
Updated: January 7, 2013
As you might imagine, there were plenty of people who were angry after hearing from a confessed burglar, but many have not only forgiven him they're wishing him well.
"It was this window and my stuff was sitting on the seat right there," said Katie Matson.
Wallets, purses, expensive electronics, Matson admits she makes the mistake of leaving items on her car's passenger seat for anyone walking by to see.
"He broke into my car and my good friend's car," she said.
Enticing burglars like the one who broke into her car and more than a dozen others in the Hillcrest Neighborhood last summer.
"I personally have done a lot of wrong things in my life," said the burglar a 20-year-old recovering addict who asked we keep what little anonymity he still has after what he did this weekend.
"It was eating me up inside knowing I'd harmed a lot of people," he said, "And I didn't know how else to make those amends."
Rather than knocking on every door in Hillcrest, he posted a personal apology on the Facebook site Forbidden Hillcrest, a post that's received a lot of feedback.
"That blows my mind I wasn't expecting so many comments," he said.
The reaction has been mixed. Some are understandably angry, others showed compassion.
"I was proud of him," Matson said.
She left a comment of encouragement for the person who took from her. A burglar she now wishes well on his road to recovery.
"It's not an easy thing to own a mistake and put yourself out there," she said.
Especially on a site like Facebook where people can often respond cruelly.
"We all need to try and be a little more understanding a little more forgiving," she said.
The burglar said as someone who always tried to hide things he's embracing the feedback both good and bad.
"That's a big part of my recovery and my life now a days is just being honest."
He said it's now paying off where it really matters.
"Just the way my family looks at me now you know, it feels good."
He said he's now focusing on putting his best foot forward.
