Home Intruder Runs Into Family’s Pit Bull, Police Can’t Believe Their Eyes

<div>&NewLine;<p>When an alleged burglar entered a residence&comma; he had a face-to-face encounter with the family’s rescued pit bull&period; Police were astounded when they arrived 20 minutes later to find an unexpected sight&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Most people have either a security system in place or defensive weapons with which to protect their domicile&period; For Leroy Rucker&comma; a Pennsylvania homeowner&comma; both of these concepts came neatly packaged in a furry&comma; four-legged companion&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Rucker was relaxing at his Altoona home when he heard a knock at the door&period; Before he could even answer the door&comma; a strange man burst into the home&comma; allegedly planning to rob the place&comma; WJAC-TV reports&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote class&equals;"wp-block-quote"><p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I was just sitting in here watching TV with the dogs like I always do&comma;” Rucker said&period;<&sol;p><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>Robert Burke Jr&period;&comma; 53&comma; walked into Rucker’s home uninvited&comma; where he soon met the homeowner’s beloved pit bull&period; The 9-year-old rescue dog&comma; affectionately named Spuds&comma; had been lovingly adopted into Rucker’s home&comma; and he wasn’t about to let anyone hurt his family&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote class&equals;"wp-block-quote"><p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;He wasn’t going to just walk in my house uninvited&period; I don’t know you like that buddy&period; Spuds didn’t like it either&comma;” Rucker said&period;<&sol;p><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>Rucker engaged Burke&comma; trying to gain an advantage over the man&period; It was when he saw his beloved owner square up with the intruder that Spuds moved to join in the action&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote class&equals;"wp-block-quote"><p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;He was coming to hang out with dad&period; That’s all I can say&period; He sees me fighting&comma; he wants to fight&comma;” Rucker said&period;<&sol;p><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>Although Burke had no problems fighting Rucker&comma; he wasn’t willing to take his chances going head-to-head with a protective pit bull&period; As soon as he saw that Spuds was ready to rumble&comma; he instantly abandoned the skirmish and surrendered&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote class&equals;"wp-block-quote"><p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;The guy &lpar;Burke&rpar; listened&period; I mean&comma; he listened better when the dog was right there present&comma; you know what I mean&comma;” said Rucker&period;<&sol;p><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>When police arrived&comma; they were astounded to find Burke calmly submitting in the middle of the living room&period; Spuds had detained the home invader so that his owner could call the police&period; The faithful pooch then held Burke at bay for 20 minutes until officers arrived to arrest him&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<img class&equals;"wp-image-9028" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;thebuzzly&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2023&sol;07&sol;FULL-STORY-Home-Intruder-Runs-Into-Familys-Pit-Bull&period;png" &sol;><br &sol;>&NewLine;Burke was treated for his injuries at a local hospital&period; He confessed to police that he had been drinking alcohol and using methamphetamine and marijuana just before the incident&period; Police say he burglarized another home and punched a woman in the face before heading to Rucker’s house&period; He was charged with burglary&comma; criminal trespass&comma; simple assault&comma; and harassment&period; He was released on bond&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Spuds was already popular with the community&comma; but now he’s a local celebrity&period; The neighborhood trash collectors explained that&comma; while the dog is very protective of his home&comma; he can tell the difference between a friendly visitor and someone with nefarious intent&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote class&equals;"wp-block-quote"><p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I’m a garbageman&period; I deal with dogs everyday — five or six days a week — but spuds is very protective of his family&period; He knows good and bad&comma; and that’s what dogs are supposed to do&comma;” Steven Rightenour said&period;<&sol;p><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>While Leroy Rucker acknowledges that Spuds is the neighborhood defender&comma; he is even more grateful that the dog has been such a loyal companion&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote class&equals;"wp-block-quote"><p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;For them&comma; it’s protection&period; For me&comma; it’s love&comma;” Rucker said&period;<&sol;p><&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>Spuds deserves all the praise he has received for protecting his loved ones&period; Luckily&comma; the word is spreading of the dog’s heroic actions&comma; which will likely keep any future criminals from choosing his home as a target&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>&num;FULL &num;STORY &num;Home &num;Intruder &num;Runs &num;Familys &num;Pit &num;Bull &num;Police &num;Eyes<&sol;p>&NewLine;