A man is behind bars after deputies said he tried to break into a home while four young children were inside. The children were home alone while their parents were at work. According to reports, a 15-year-old boy was able to chase off the intruder with a samurai sword he had recently purchased on vacation.
“The kids called in a panic saying someone was trying to break into the house,” the father told WHIO. “I tell you what, I was scared to death.”
The father pulled up surveillance footage on his phone and saw the intruder causing damage to his property, including taking a hammer to the family pool.
The man also reportedly tried to gain entry into the house by breaking a window. The youngest three children ran and hid in a closet while the oldest, a boy celebrating his 15th birthday, retrieved his trusty samurai sword. He then chased after the man, who was seen speeding off in his vehicle shortly after.
Police were able to track down the suspect a few miles down the road to make the arrest. The man, later identified as Rodney Smith, is in jail facing a preliminary charge of aggravated burglary.
The kids' relieved father said “I was so worried – more about them than any of my personal belongings,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure my kids were ok."