After a string of recent break-ins in Palm Bay, Florida, one potential suspect has been taken into custody after a battle with a homeowner. According to Florida Today, one victim fought back against a group of home intruders during an attempted robbery.Police say that the victim was alone when he heard loud banging on his front door. When he looked outside he saw two men, one of whom was carrying a gun. The victim proceeded to reach for a weapon - a machete as the intruders made their way inside the home. At which time the victim ambushed the suspects.
The homeowner injured one of the criminals, causing the two men to flee the scene. According to police, the victim was conscious enough from his recent encounter to take a photo of the getaway car as the robbers drove off.
Police told the news source that the victim was severely shaken-up after the incident. He was crying and very scared by what had happened as well as having to use force to remove the intruders.
According to officials, shortly after the incident a person matching the description given by the victim went into a nearby hospital to receive treatment for serious injuries. Police arrived on scene and from the injuries and observations, they believed this was in fact one of the men responsible for the home invasion, at which time the suspect was taken into custody.
Palm Bay police are still on the look out for the second robber in the case. An ongoing investigation leads officers to believe that this was not an isolated incident. Police are under the impression that these men may be involved with numerous other recent break-ins around the area.
According to officials the group matching this description would typically knock loudly on residents homes to see if anyone answered. Once they felt the home was empty they would break in and proceed to steal valuables from inside.
What makes this break-in even more troubling is the fact that if this victim hadn't been awake, the outcome could have been gravely different as the man with the gun could have used it on the victim had he awoken during the intrusion.
Home invasions are a serious matter for all citizens to be concerned about. When a break-in occurs, your personal safety has been jeopardized as you're unaware of what may happen.
According the Federal Bureau of Investigation, approximately 1 in 5 homes in the United States will be broken into or be part of a home invasion, equaling more than 8,000 break-ins daily. This information shows that you can never be too prepared for a threat on your personal safety.
Although this victim was armed with a machete to defend his home and himself, most people do not own such serious means of protection. For the average citizen, you may want to buy pepper spray as a way to arm yourself should this happen to you.
If you do decide to buy pepper spray, make sure you educate yourself on the proper way to use it because using it wrong can be as ineffective as not having it at all. Experts suggest that spraying in quick bursts in an "x" or "z" pattern gives you the best results as these patterns cover a lot of ground, giving you a better chance of hitting your target. Keep your device in an easy-to-reach area as most of these attacks are sudden and leave you with little time to prepare.
