Florida man finds intruder in his home, tackles him as he tries to run away

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Published  November 22, 2024 6:14pm EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Man wrestles suspected burglar until police arrive

A homeowner in Melbourne tackled a suspected burglar and wrestled him down in his front yard until police arrived.

MELBOURNE, Fla. - A Melbourne man came face to face with a home intruder. When he tried to get away, the homeowner restrained him until police could make an arrest. 

The victim’s gun was missing, and he didn't want the alleged burglar to get away and possibly hurt other people, so he jumped into action. 

Melbourne Police arrested a 31-year-old man on Tuesday and charged him with several crimes, including burglary of a dwelling and grand theft of a firearm.

Stone spoke exclusively with FOX 35 about the terrifying home invasion. 

Stone said it was extremely unnerving to have "somebody that you didn’t invite into your house, and you have no clue who going through all your personal stuff, your entire life."

The 24-year-old had no idea what he was in for when he came home from work. The victim shared home surveillance video with FOX 35 which we blurred to protect his privacy.  

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Stone says he immediately knew something was wrong when he stepped inside. 

"I saw on the countertops stuff I didn’t leave out," he said. 

His worry quickly intensified when he realized his gun wasn’t where it was supposed to be. 

"My pistol was gone from my nightstand," he said. 

A few minutes later, he found the man hiding in another room, but the suspect tried to run away.

That’s when Stone took down the alleged intruder himself in the driveway.

Stone says he "tried to hold him until the police got here."

In the suspect’s charging documents, Melbourne Police say Stone’s firearm was found inside a red backpack, and police believe it was staged there to be taken from the home.

"This worked out great. Having that presence of mind to realize, hey they've stolen my gun. I’m concerned for the neighborhood and to hold him there for police without further incident, it’s very fortunate," said retired police officer Marshall Jones who now teaches at Florida Tech. 

Jones says, everyone should have a plan for a potential home invasion like this. 

Homeowners should know where potential weapons are or a safe room you can run to.

"Think through how I might respond and what I can do in advance to make me better prepared," concluded Jones.

Stone says, he’s speaking out to warn other homeowners about the possibility of a home invasion. 

He says, never get complacent with locking your doors and being aware. He’s glad no one lost their life during this scary situation.

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