Posted on 03/19/2009 7:52:14 PM PDT by marktwain
A Tampa man faces felony armed burglary charges after a home invasion in Lake Wales this morning.
Police said two children, ages 3 and 3 months, were inside the home at 1261 Grove Ave. about 10:30 a.m. when a burglar pried open a rear sliding glass door with a crowbar. The startled homeowner fired off seven rounds from a .380 handgun.
"It's a disturbing scene especially with children inside. I know the homeowner is shaken up right now," said Lake Wales Assistant Police Chief Christopher Velasquez.
The bullets hit the suspect, 45-year-old Michael Collins, in the head and arm, police said. Collins had parked his van in the home's driveway and tried to drive away but crashed a couple hundred feet away in an orange grove, they added.
Officers apprehended Collins, who was airlifted to Lakeland Regional Hospital for treatment for his injuries. He is expected to recover.
Collins is charged with first-degree felony armed burglary and possession of burglary tools.
Detectives said the homeowner did not know Collins prior to the home invasion.
Neighbor Luis Hernandez praised the homeowner for taking swift action to protect his family.
"We're glad because he's not going to come back here," Hernandez said.
Armed Burg? So he had a weapon, that they found?
Amazing that this turned out like it did. An armed intruder, with children in the house, tough to think about.
Too bad it was not a 357 or 44
Luis had better wake up. the perp sure as hell could come back someday, maybe with a little revenge in mind.
armed citizen ping
I hope he has more 380 ammo. You can’t buy 380 in any stores in the area. All out of stock.
Why waste resources on medical care.
For Ammo try http://www.midwayusa.com. You can back order and I have had good luck with them. also http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ pretty good.
Note to self.....carry something besides a .380
"We're glad because he's not going to come back here," Hernandez said.
Too bad it was not a 357 or 44
Had the homeowner followed your advice, this guy would be right!
You do realize there are home protection type rounds available for these weapons (breakup drastically on initial impact IE would not go through walls from one home to another). They would not pose a danger to the neighbor next door yet do the right damage to the perp.
Had that been a .40, or .45, maybe they would have been spared the cost of a trial.
The crowbar would likely be considered a deadly weapon.
just picked up quite a bit from gunbroker.com
same in kansas city.. tried to get some the other day. Dick’s Sporting goods has rainchecks backed up from August
I’m told “Blue-tip” (9mm in my case) are the best cartridges for self-defense.
I believe I was some .380 hollow points once.
My HD gun is a Ruger GP100 .357.
Mr. Criminal would have NEVER got away with a headshot from my gun.
A: "Ouch. stop that".
Not necessarily. The homeowner fired several shots and only hit his target twice. It may be that since the homeowner could not control his shots very well with the puny .380 hit may not have hit anything wielding a .40 or .45.
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