I understand Iains. My husband agrees with you. When he was young he was a night security guard in the port of Abidjan, and bears scars where he was attacked by a thief with a knife. He has no sympathy with invading robbers, and says they're dangerous and deserve all they get.
He says too that if a thief entered out house he'd personally 'attend to him' (I reckon he means it'd be curtains for the guy!)