Beaverdale, IA — This wasn’t the stranger they expected in their house early on Christmas morning.
Around 8:00 am on Christmas Day, Duncan and Rena McClintock woke up to hear their dog, Wally, barking frantically.
Instead of Santa bringing gifts, they saw a strange man standing in their kitchen.
Their home was in a nice neighborhood off Beaver Avenue. Plus, Duncan had locked the doors before they went to bed on Christmas Eve!
The couple were shocked, but Duncan leaped to find a weapon to defend his family. He grabbed the first thing he could find: a scissors. Meanwhile, Rena thought she would imitate the movies and make a knife out of a broken wine glass.
The two grabbed their makeshift weapons and demanded the man tell him what he was doing in their house. The man tried to play dumb and claimed he thought he was in his own house.
But he didn’t have a key and didn’t look lost or confused. He looked guilty. The couple chased him down and cornered him until Beaverdale Police arrived.
When asked what his plan was if the man hadn’t been intimidated by the less-than-optimal weapons, Duncan gave a good answer. “If he moved an inch, he was going to get the scissors.”
Police arrived and arrested 40-year-old Joseph Halbur. He was later charged with Burglary.
A Happy Ending….This Time!
You know, this couple was both brave and lucky. Brave in being willing to fight and defend themselves. But they’re also incredibly lucky that the burglar they faced was not armed with even a knife. Heck, even unarmed, it’s amazing he was intimidated by the weapons they had at hand.
Buy a gun. Train yourself and your family. Practice in your house for scenarios like this and make sure your family knows what to do, as well.