British Man Vincent Cooke Arrested For Allegedly Stabbing Burglar To Death
A suspected burglar has been stabbed to death after he allegedly intruded on a home in a wealthy British neighborhood.
39-year-old Vincent Cooke reportedly was relaxing at home in Stockport when Raymond Jacob and another man tried to forcibly enter through the front door. Cooke then stabbed Raymond Jacob using Jacob's own knife. According to The Telegraph, Jacob was injured with knife wounds when officers arrived on the scene. “The officers rendered first aid and paramedics attended, however, the man died a short time later," said Chief Supt Tim Forber.
Police suspect burglary was the motive for the break-in. The Daily Mail reports: "[Vincent Cooke] and his wife drive luxury cars, a gold Maserati and a silver Range Rover both with personalised registration plates, and detectives will be investigating whether they were targeted by the raiders for their wealth."
According to the BBC, UK law holds that homeowners should not be prosecuted if they use "reasonable force" to protect themselves against intruders. Justice Secretary Ken Clarke explained: "If an old lady finds she's got an 18 year old burgling her house and she picks up a kitchen knife and sticks it in him she has not committed a criminal offence and we will make that clear."
The police arrested Vincent Cooke, however The Daily Mail reports that he has been released on bail until mid-October.
Metro notes that this is the third such incident in recent months. In both previous cases, the homeowners were released without being charged.
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First Posted: 09/19/11 01:24 PM ET Updated: 11/19/11 05:12 AM ET