Blast the bastard. Depending on your state laws, the intruder may have to be armed, so make sure the body has a weapon in it's hand before you call the cops. +5

The thing to do (or to have done, in the case of your parents), is to PREVENT the burglary from occurring, and there are many ways that that could have been accomplished. The very BEST way, I have found in my own experience, is by having a dog (like a St. Barnyard or one of them there Rottenweilers) living with you. Preferably a dog who is very mean (and very loud) toward strangers. If the burglars had heard a dog growling and barking when they tried to enter your parent's home, they would have probably decided to go elsewhere, and their home and belongings would have been spared. Another way to prevent a burglary from happening, is just to make certain that entry is virtually impossible, by installing (or having installed) secure, "pick-proof" locks and deadbolts, or perhaps placing "jail bars" on the INSIDE of the house. Bars on the outside are too easy to remove, and detract from the overall appearance of the place, but bars on the inside make entrance to the house almost impossible, WITHOUT glass being broken, and the sound of glass being broken should awaken the occupants of the average residence, unless they are incredibly sound sleepers. Also, bars that are installed on the inside of the domicile, make it easier for the residents to escape in the event of a fire, for example. Many local police agencies and sheriff's departments will come to your house at your request and do a free security inspection for you, then advise you of any "weaknesses or deficiencies" that need to be addressed, to make the house totally secure and safe. The reason they do this, is because if you follow their advice and and make your home a safe one (as far as burglaries are concerned), your house then becomes one less house for them to worry about, and their own jobs are lessened. Please tell your parents this adage: "Security measures don't cost, they SAVE!" They save property, mementoes, and lives. I'm glad that your parents suffered no harm, except financial. +5