VICTORIA -- A Nanaimo homeowner chased down a shoeless bandit after his dog alerted him to a break-in Sunday morning.
Nanaimo RCMP say the man was awakened at approximately 2:30 a.m. and found his front door wide open and a shoeless man on his front lawn in the 1000-block of Beverly Drive.
When police arrived they found the 46-year-old homeowner physically restraining a man on the lawn.
The homeowner told police he was sound asleep when he was awakened by the sound of his dog barking.
He ran out his open front door and chased down and subdued the fleeing man.
Police say that during the struggle, the suspect swung a metal lanyard at the homeowner, striking him in the arm. The victim did not require medical attention, police said.
Nothing was taken from the home and police believe the barking dog may have scared off the intruder.
Investigators say alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the suspect removing his shoes before entering the home. Police later found and returned the man’s shoes to him.
A 31-year-old man was held in custody overnight and released the following morning on an undertaking on one count of break and enter.
He is scheduled to appear in Nanaimo provincial court on Feb 2.
