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Virginia man fights off intruder with Valentine’s gift

Posted at 1:40 PM, Feb 15, 2012
and last updated 2012-02-16 09:45:29-05

SANDSTON, Va. (WTVR) -  A recent rash of home break-ins has some homeowners in  Sandston, Virginia  worried.

One man told CBS 6 reporter Jon Burkett he used his Valentine's Day gift, an air soft pellet gun, to chase off an intruder Tuesday.

"The old lady blindfolded me and took me to Bass Pro Shop," said Robby Rhodes.

However, Rhodes said about five minutes after he got home, his back door came crashing in.

That's when he grabbed the gun off the coffee table, ran into the kitchen and confronted an unsuspecting intruder.

Rhodes said he found a man wearing a red bandanna in his kitchen.

The suspect then brandished a Rambo-style knife, around 14 inches long, and started lunging at him, according to Rhodes.

Rhodes said that's when he  opened fire with his new pellet gun, shooting off eight rounds. He said four of the pellets ended up in the door and the other four wound up in the man.

"You could see the fear in his eyes," said Rhodes. He said the man started screaming and then took off out the back door, jumped off the deck and over a fence.

After the incident, Rhodes said he made a special phone call to thank his lady for the lifesaving Valentine's Day gift.

Police did end up discovering a small trail of blood on Rhodes' deck, but did not end up finding the suspect.

Rhodes thinks the burglar had no idea he was home and hopes his misfortune will alert others in the area to watch out for their neighbors -- and to keep their doors locked.

Henrico police said several break-ins have been reported in the area over the last few months.