Loyal dog prevents home invasion with perfect distraction – giving owner time to outsmart armed burglars

The pet dog was ready to go against the odds to protect his owner.

PUBLISHED 5 HOURS AGO

(L) Criminal dressed all in black trying to break in house, (R) Angry Security Dog in Front of a House. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | (L) bahadir-yeniceri, (R) South_agency)

A homeowner escaped the clutches of two armed burglars with the help of his loyal dog. A home invasion incident took place in a Virginia home in broad daylight after two armed thieves approached the owner as utility workers checking for a gas leak. The pet dog, whose name, breed, and age have been concealed, sensed something off about the situation. As the burglars entered the home, the loyal dog barked his lungs out to scare the intruders away. In that situation, the home invasion victim found a golden opportunity to outwit them and escape the scene, as stated by the Office of the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney.

Two burglars entering an one-family house at daytime. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Westend61)

Everything was calm and silent in the owner’s home in Norfolk, Virginia, until two men knocked on the door disguised as utility staff in July 2023. “When the first victim answered the door, the co-conspirator asked about a natural gas leak. The victim told the co-conspirator that he had recently smelled gas, so the victim allowed him inside,” the statement read. They conned their way inside the house from the back door, armed with guns. Their faces were masked, and they immediately ordered the owner to lie on the kitchen floor with guns pointed at him. The owner gave in to their instructions while one of the thieves searched the house for other people. By now, the pet dog was agitated and went crazy barking at them. When it didn’t stop howling, the owner smartly pitched to take his pup outside to quiet it down– a potential escape plan.

Dog barks at a thief. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images |Catherine Falls Commercial)

As soon as he stepped outside his house, the homeowner ran around to the front and noticed the burglars had left their vehicle running on the street. He hopped into the car with his dog and headed to the nearest police station. Meanwhile, the burglars stole thousands of dollars and other valuables. However, the burglars ran away on foot when they found their car had been taken. The second victim of the home invasion, the owner’s roommate, who was sleeping upstairs, ran after them with the handgun they had left at the house. When the thieves spotted the roommate chasing them, they fired shots at him. He reacted with a couple of gunshots fired back. Despite the firing, no injuries were reported.

Handcuffed suspect being arrested by police at night. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images |kali9)

The vehicle had some identification and a cell phone, which directly led to the main culprit, James Davis Kennedy, 41. The car was registered to a relative of his, and he was caught red-handed with a prior felony record. At the time of arrest, he was also in possession of fentanyl. Kennedy was sentenced to 22 years in prison for armed robbery, while the accomplice was unidentified. The owner and his dog’s identity were not revealed. “Home-invasion robberies are some of the most dangerous and frightening crimes anyone could commit,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi, the attorney who led the trial. The pet dog's loyalty towards his owner had a massive contribution in preventing the home invasion, and the owner is likely proud of his pawed pal’s brave demeanor in times of crisis.