yeah, that's a messed up way to burgle. The proper way is to knock first to see if anyone's home, and then if anyone is, to say "hi, does the man live here?" This gives the burglar a chance to claim he's at the wrong house. If no one answers and the coast is clear he can devise a way in that doesn't break the door.

Burglars should follow burglary etiquette and this one is a "goofus".

Eric, everyone knows the man lives up in the West Hills, so that really wouldn't work in other neighborhoods.