Chillicothe, Ohio



From the Chillicothe Gazette of August 9, 2004

Senior citizen foils two burglary attempts



70-year-old man wrestles down one suspect, shoots at others



The message was clear, and it was delivered by a feisty 70-year-old man twice in one night last week.



That message -- I refused to be victimized.



Robert Gillum thwarted a pair of burglary attempts Wednesday in his Douglas Avenue home, sending the would-be thieves scurrying away without any money.



According to a police report, the elderly man was alone inside his home watching television when, around 10:15 p.m., an unknown man came into his house demanding money. Gillum told officers the man, whom he could identify only as being 5 feet 6 inches tall with a medium build, raised his arm and may have had a handgun inside a sock.



Before Gillum complied with the intruder's request he lunged at the thief and the two began to wrestle. Gillum was struck once in the mouth with the intruder's weapon. After the struggle, the man ran from Gillum's home while Gillum called police.



"I know he had a gun, but I guess I'm a little crazy," he said. "I don't know why I did it. I just didn't feel like being screwed around."



The incident was shocking to Gillum, but before he was able to fully gain his composure, he was faced with another would-be robber.



And just like the first time, the elderly man wouldn't go down without a fight.



The second attempted robbery took place about 90 minutes later, and this time the attacker knocked Gillum to the floor, took his wallet and fled the scene. Gillum got to his feet, grabbed a .410-caliber Derringer from his living room and fired two shots at the suspect's vehicle as it sped away.