The Burglar had been the cellmate of the infamous depression era gangster "Dutch" Mallone. In the 1930's Mallone lived in New York City's Forest Hills section in the very same house that was now inhabited by Ben Parker and his family. Eventually, Mallone was captured at the same house by a force of Treasury agents led by the celebrated "untouchable" Elliott Ness and was convicted on tax evasion charges. It was long rumored that Mallone had hidden millions of dollars away somewhere. Mallone was sent from one prison to another, and finally, as an elderly man, he became the cellmate of the burglar. The Burglar heard Mallone talking in his sleep about where he hid the money. It was somewhere in his old house in Forest Hills. (unknown to the Burglar, however, the money was hidden in a box behind a wall in the House, but had long ago been devoured by silverfish.) One night, a few weeks after the Burglar and Spider-Man had crossed paths in the television studio, the Burglar broke into the Parker home while Peter was away making a personal appearance as Spider-Man. The Burglar took the Parkers by surprise and held Ben and May Parker at gunpoint. Saying that he needed her to show him around so he could find something, the Burglar grabbed May. Furious, Ben ordered the Burglar to unhand May and angrily reached toward him. Frightened, the Burglar shot Ben and fled. Ben Parker died.
