Updated on December 8, 2025
A day in the life of Burglar Bill
Imagine you are Burglar Bill and you are keeping a digital diary. Write a comment below the post describing one day in his life — the events, his thoughts and his feelings.
Find 1-2 pictures to add to the digital diary, or even record your voice to bring your diary to life! You can save your pictures or audio files on a USB stick.
| Step 1
Think and discuss! |
When does he get home? What does he carry in his bag? What does Burglar Bill do in the morning? What does he eat? What does he do with the things he took? Does he meet anyone during the day? What is the weather like, and does it affect what he does? Does anything surprising happen to him today? What problem does he face, and how does he solve it? What does he think or worry about? What does he hope for? What does he plan to do that night? |
| Step 2
Make a graphic organiser!
|
Places, Actions, Feelings, Objects from the book |
| Step 3
Use sentence starters, word banks, and dictionaries for support! |
I walk back home early in the morning and… I feel tired because… I look at the things I bring home and… I sometimes feel… I feel happy when… I walk around the house and I see… I check my bag and I find… walk home, sneak / creep, make tea, eat breakfast, look around, check my bag, carry things, open a tin, sit down, fall asleep, yawn, think / wonder, feel tired in the morning, in my house, with my bag, in the kitchen, on my chair, because I am tired, with toast and beans, with my black teapot tired, hungry, proud, curious, worried, surprised, lonely, guilty, happy |
Here is an example!
Hello, diary!
It's just after sunrise and I am going home! My bag is heavy tonight, and I feel proud of my “collections,” but also a bit nervous. I hope nobody sees me!
When I get home, I switch on my black teapot because I really want a cup of tea. While the tea is boiling, I make my breakfast: a slice of toast, some marmalade, and a bit of date-and-walnut cake.
After breakfast, I look around my house. Everything is quiet. I feel a little lonely, but at the same time I feel safe in my small home. I think about the people I "borrowed" things from tonight. Maybe they are waking up now and wondering where their things went. I feel a bit guilty, to be honest.
Now I can’t stay awake any longer. I sit in my favourite chair with my cup of tea. My eyes close, and I fall asleep. Another day — or night — of being Burglar Bill begins and ends just like that.
Goodnight… or maybe good morning!
26 Comments on “A day in the life of Burglar Bill”
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Another tiring day or rather night begins. I take my bag and get ready I go to any house or building I find in front of me I steal from the smallest to the largest I find in front of me in the middle of my shift I eat my breakfast or rather my dinner or my second dinner as soon as the break is over I go mainly to banks to steal money and other valuable things as soon as it gets dark on the way home I look at what valuable things I stole today when I get home I get a cup of coffee and go to my bed I turn on the TV and fall asleep
Hi, Telemachus! Your effort is remarkable. However, some parts do not make much sense and they sound as if they are automatically translated from Greek. Also, we know that Burglar Bill does not rob banks. As we said in class, it doesn’t matter if you write only a few sentences as long as they are yours and things you can say yourself in English.
Hello diary,
I’m coming back home, my bag isn’t very heavy, but I don’t care because nobody has seen me.
When I got into my house and started eating, I heard a noise coming from my bag and I felt very nervous and scared. When I opened my bag. I saw that there wasn’t anything inside. I felt very scared because the things that I had stolen weren’t there. Suddenly, I saw a small baby with a black mask over its eyes taking the stolen things and escaping.
I let it go because some police officers were in my neighbourhood.
After that, I felt proud of myself because I left the baby take the thing back to its family.
What a day!
Hello diary,
Today was a terrible day because something very unexpected happened.
Well, my day started as usual. I woke up, took my sack, put on my black mask and headed off to work stealing things.
But when I left my house I saw police cars and police officers everywhere.
I tried to hide because you could tell from my outfit that I was a burglar.
No matter what I did, the police was everywhere so they caught me.
While I was in the police car, I saw a massive plane crash. It looks that was the reason why the place was full of police officers.
Now I am stuck in jail crying all day.Hope I get out soon.
Wow! What a twist!
I leave home early in the evening on foot, to break into houses and steal things. I carry my sack and put on a black mask. When morning comes, I go back home, to drink a cup of tea, then go to bed and sleep.
Nice job, Telemachus!
Hi diary,
this was a difficult night for me because I was late at one house and I didn’t look at the clock. When the town hall clock struck five, I ran back home with my heavy sack.
Then I ate a slice of bread with honey and drank a cup of hot chocolate. After that, I sat on my sofa and looked at the things I had stolen.
Suddenly, I saw a strange man through my window, so I hid behind the sofa and waited without breathing.
After some time I went out at the garden and looked at my flowers. Two hours later I went back inside and went to sleep in my bed.
See you soon
Hi diary,
Today was a tiring day because the police kept me for many hours. Let me tell you the story…
In the evening, after supper, I put the baby to bed. Then, I put on my scarf and I swung my sack, ready to go to work. But when I was breaking into a house behind the bus station, suddenly I heard a voice saying: “It’s Burglar Bill, the most popular thief in the city! Call the police now!”
I was very scared!
Inside the house, I found a PS5 and I said: “That’s a nice playstation, I ‘ll have that!” But while I was putting the console into my sack, I saw a police officer outside the building. He was holding a torch and talking to the man who had called him. I tried to escape the house quietly but the police officer saw me! Then I ran into the street but (you know this already, i can’t run very fast) the police officer put on the handcuffs and took me to the police station. After many hours there I saw my cat outside the window.
“Here is my home!That is my garden!”
Then I wondered what to do…
Suddenly the prison door opened…
“Free”, said the police officer.
I went home and told the whole story to Betty.
“I want a new job, Betty.”
“You would make a good bread-man, Bill!”, said Betty.
“Ok, thank you! Good night!”
Then I went to bed and start writing in my diary…
Hello,Diary
Today, I walked back home early in the morning at 5 o’clock and I was very tired because I was carrying a lot of things in my sack. I had toast and marmalade and a cup of coffee for breakfast.Then I went to my bedroom and slept. At night I ate fish and chips and a cup of tea for supper.
Now I am going off to work, stealing things.
Hello, diary !
I walk back home early in the morning and the clock strikes five. I eat a slice of toast with tahini and drink a cup of milk.
In my house, I see my sack and the stolen property. I find a necklace in my sack and give it to Betty. Betty feels very happy.
Then I watch on TV that I am wanted, because I have stolen a very expensive necklace. After that I feel very scary, but Betty tells me not to worry and to give back the necklace.
The next night I take back the necklace. I walk back home and tell Betty that I don’t want to be Burglar Bill any more. I will become Bakery Bill.
Goodnight diary!
Hello, diary !
Today, I went to many houses,but I didn’t take much. I didn’t like the things that were in the houses. Also I had my favourite breakfast today, two slices of toast and marmalade.I putted the things I stole in a basket because I was to lazy to put them in the places I wanted to place them.
After breakfast I could not stay up any more. I went upstairs and got in my comfortable stolen bed and went to sleep . But, before going to bed I had an idea ! The idea was that I could return the things I stole because I didn’t like them .In the end I returnt the things and I didn’t feel that guilty anymore.
In the end diary I didn’t borrow any things tonighit I gave them back!
Well goodnight diary. Oh, sorry good morning diary!! Beyy!!
Hi diary,
I’m going home at five ‘o clock in the morning after work. I check my sack but nothing is in it. I wonder where the stolen property. I’m tired and worried. I hope that my things are around the house.
I walk around the house looking for stolen property. Suddenly I see my things, I quickly put them in to my sack because. I’m afraid someone will see me.
I go home and I make breakfast. After breakfast I go upstairs in my bed and I write my diary.
See you soon.
Hello Bob, my diary!
Today I came home from work at 05.30 a.m. That night I stole something different from the other nights… I stole a bag full of chocolate bars wrapped in gold paper along with golden coins! Now, as usual, I will eat my breakfast, toast with marmalade and a cup of tea. After breakfast I will eat a golden chocolate bar, and I will go to sleep because I’m tired. I don’t have to meet somebody today. The weather is cold so I will stay in and play with my cat. An interesting thing happened today. As I was coming home, I saw a former police officer, who gave me a lot of problems at the past. This time he didn’t’ recognize me because I wasn’t wearing my mask. I didn’t talk to him, but I saw him walking down the police station. I wonder… did he see me, but he didn’t say anything? Did he follow me secretly to see where I live? I can’t think anything else about it. The problem is that this chance meeting made me very nervous and I couldn’t sleep. I’m afraid I will get arrested…I hope that won’t come true! My plans for this night are to burglar one or two houses near there for safety…
«The day I met my cat»
Hello, diary!
What a strange morning! I’ve just tiptoed back home after a long night of creeping around town. The sky was cloudy, and a cold wind kept blowing my hat sideways. My bag wasn’t very full tonight, but it rattled loudly because of a metal lunchbox I “borrowed.” I worried someone might hear it clanking!
When I reach my house, I open the door slowly so it doesn’t squeak. First thing I do is warm my hands by the stove – they were freezing! Then I make myself a cup of hot tea and open a tin of beans. I’m so hungry I almost eat straight from the pan.
After breakfast, I spread everything from my bag onto the table. Tonight’s treasures: the metal lunchbox, a tiny red umbrella, and a pair of fluffy slippers. Odd things, really. I laugh a little, because who goes around taking slippers? But I also feel a bit guilty… someone out there is probably looking for warm feet.
I decide to tidy my house a bit. While cleaning, I hear a loud meow outside. When I open the door, a small ginger cat runs inside and sits by the chair like it owns the place! I didn’t expect a visitor today. I wonder if it’s lost. I feel worried for it but also happy to have company.
I give the cat a bit of toast, and it purrs loudly. Maybe this is the start of a friendship. Maybe I won’t be so lonely anymore.
I’m getting sleepy now. My eyes keep closing, and the cat has curled up by my feet. Tonight I might stay home instead of sneaking around. We’ll see.
‘
Goodnight for now, diary.
…or good morning!
(I also have photos but can’t attach them here)
Margaret, it’s a beautiful text, but some parts use higher-level language. Try rewriting it with simpler structures that sound more like your own writing.
Dear Diary,
Tonight was another busy night. I crept out of my house with my bag and tip-toed down the quiet street. I sneaked into a little house at the end of the road. I opened the window very carefully—no creaking tonight! Inside, I found a shiny torch, a tin of biscuits, and a warm blanket. I took them all and slipped away before anyone woke up.
But when I got home, I started to feel a bit strange. Maybe I’m getting tired of taking things that don’t belong to me. Maybe tomorrow I’ll try something different… or maybe even give some things back. We’ll see.
— Burglar Bill
If you want it shorter/longer or more child-friendly, just tell me!
Burglar Bill
Dear Dora, this is a day produced by an AI bot. I am sure you can write your own text.
It was late one warm night while Burglar Bill walking slowly back home.Suddenly saw a girl fall off her bike.Burglar Bill wonder what he can do.
He chose to help the girl and called an ambulance. Called the girl’s mother and went to the hospital with her mum. One week later saw a social media post of girl can do bike again and Burglar Bill felt happy 😁
That’s much better but you need to make it into a 1st person narration. You’re Burglar Bill and you make a post in your own diary.
Hello my little diary! Today I broke into only a single house and it was a little harder than expected. The owner has a lot of traps in his house and I can’t steal so easily from him. I hide and try not fall into the traps.
I walk to the kitchen and I steal some bread, a tin of beans and an apple. Then I try to hide somewhere in the kitchen and the man can’t see me stealing things from his kitchen but I am scared. I go to my house with getting hurt and I eat the apple I stole and drink a cup of tea. Then I fall asleep.
Hello my little diary! Today I broke into 5 house. Two of them were small and the rest were big ones. From four of the houses I stole 6 fish and chips, and from the last one I stole a tin of beans, a fish bowl and five hats.
It ‘s just sunrise and I am going home. My bag is full of things tonight. I have a big collection.
When I go home I have a black tea. While my tea is boiling I make breakfast with sausages, bacon and beans and I enjoy it. It is very tasty.
When I get home, I feel tired because I have broken into 67 houses!!! I lie in my bed and I think: why is it so quite in here? Only my cat is making noises.
After my nap, I wake up and realize it is 12 o’clock, so I go back to sleep!
Great ideas and funny details! Well done!
This is Bill’s entry.
Hello! Diary!
Today in the afternoon, I break into a house and steal some things. When I open the door my eyes immediately see a brown big box with little holes. Inside the box is a baby. I steal some things and take the box. Then, I go into my house. The baby starts crying because I want to eat. I give milk to the baby and I eat my supper. Then I tell him goodnight and I go to my bed.