Burglar Breaks Into House And Dies After Homeowners Do THIS A burglar attempted to break into this a couples house in Central California, and tried to sneak in through the chimney. The burglar got stuck overnight, and was in the chimney for almost 24 hours. When the couple lit a fire, the burglar suffocated to death. The couple called the fire department but by the time they got there and broke into the chimney, the man was dead. Ive been a duputy for almost 17 years now, and Ive never seen anything like this, Fresno Country sheriffs Deputy Jake Jensen told NBC. Did this burglar deserve death? 