Business owner fights back after being followed home by robbery suspects

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- A man fought back after being attacked outside his home by two suspects who had been following him, police said.

The incident happened about 9:30 p.m. Thursday after the business owner closed up his shop and was headed home.

As he made his way to his house, he realized he had been followed.

That's when two men confronted the 41-year-old victim with a gun and a crowbar, trying to rob him.

"A guy came behind him and put a gun behind him and told him to open the door and let him in. He wanted to come to our house," the man's wife said.

The homeowner, however, had other plans. He started to fight back.

Police said he pushed and kicked to keep the robbers from getting into his house.

When he entered his home, his wife helped him push the door shut and lock it to keep the suspects out.

"I opened the door, not all the way, and my husband's right at the door. The guy's two steps down. He still tried to kick him while my husband sneaked in quickly. And we slammed the door shut," the wife said.

They quickly called 911.

Arriving officers spotted the two suspects in a backyard.

"They chased the one male," said Philadelphia Chief Inspector Scott Small. "That 38-year-old perpetrator was positively identified by the homeowner and his wife."

Nothing was taken from the home and no one was injured.

The man in custody will be charged with attempted robbery, among other offenses.

Officers used K-9s to search the area. Police located the crowbar they think belonged to one of the robbers.

The only description of the second suspect is that he was a man wearing dark clothing.

Small said it's a good thing that the business owner fought back.

"Great job done by the homeowner and his wife fighting off these two would-be robbers," said Small. "Things could've been a lot worse. So it's a pretty good ending because we made one apprehension."

They fought back and won, but it's a fight they hope to never have again.

"Most likely I will be moving," the wife said.