87-year-old woman beats burglar, then offers snacks

MAINE: An 87-year-old woman, Marjorie Perkins, woke up to confront a stranger standing over her bed, successfully fending him off before giving him food because he was “awfully hungry”.

According to the media reports, Perkins courageously thwarted the burgular who entered her home in Brunswick around 2 am. She said: “I awoke to find the young man standing over my bed, with no trousers on, and threatening to harm me,”

She told the media that she remained undeterred and quickly thought of a plan to defend herself. “If he’s going to cut, then I’m going to kick,” she added.

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As per the media reports, although she used a chair as a shield but suffered minor injuries to her cheek and forehead during the encounter.

She said that as the situation escalated, the intruder eventually confessed that he was “awfully hungry” and hadn’t eaten for quite some time. “After the struggle, I offered the young man a box of peanut butter and honey crackers, along with two protein drinks and two tangerines,” she said.

Meanwhile, she didn’t let her guard down and called 911 while the intruder was in the kitchen having the food. However, the teenager later left, taking his trousers with him but leaving behind a knife, shirt, shoes, and a water bottle containing alcohol.

The reports said that the police swiftly responded and later arrested the intruder with the aid of police dogs. The teenager now faces several charges, including burglary, criminal threatening, assault, and underage drinking.

Despite the ordeal, Perkins remained resolute and unyielding. Although she felt secure in the home she has inhabited for 42 years, she expressed concerns about the rising tide of crime and said: “I think our law has just folded up… People aren’t afraid of anything anymore. They feel they can do as they please.”