Thread: SC-Homeowner catches burglar throws him in pool

Man caught breaking into home


Friday, February 20, 2009 at 4:53 p.m.


LEXINGTON COUNTY,SC -- Lexington County Sheriff’s Department deputies on Thursday, February 19 arrested a 19-year-old Lexington man whom a homeowner caught in the act of breaking into his home on Gilbert Springs Court near Batesburg-Leesville.

Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said Ruben Silva-Aguilar, 19, of 120 Maplewood Drive, Lexington, was arrested on charges of first-degree burglary and assault and battery with intent to kill. Silva-Aguilar was being held on Friday, February 20 at the Lexington County Detention Center while awaiting a bond hearing.

Detectives contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to determine whether Silva-Aguilar legally entered the United States from Mexico, where Silva-Aguilar was born, Metts said.

At 3:35 p.m. on Thursday, deputies responded to a call about a burglary in progress at a home at 145 Gilbert Springs Court, Metts said. A neighbor directed deputies to the home’s backyard, where deputies found that Robert L. Hartley, 52, detained Silva-Aguilar in the pool at the rear of Hartley’s home. Hartley forced Silva-Aguilar to stand in the middle of the in-ground pool while Hartley was armed with a rifle.

Hartley caught Silva-Aguilar carrying items out of the back door at Hartley’s home and tried to detain Silva-Aguilar, who stabbed Hartley with a knife on Hartley’s left arm, Metts said. Hartley threw Silva-Aguilar into the pool, where Hartley detained Silva-Aguilar at gunpoint.

Lexington County Emergency Medical Services personnel examined and treated Hartley at the scene for cuts on his left arm that he suffered when Silva-Aguilar stabbed him,Metts said the case remains under investigation. The sheriff asked anyone with information about additional criminal activity that might involve Silva-Aguilar to call the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-559-TIPS. Citizens also can provide information anonymously by accessing the Crime Tip link on the Sheriff’s Department web site (www.lexingtonsheriff.com).

http://www.midlandsconnect.com/news/new ... ?id=263098

Another article on same:



Homeowner describes forcing burglar to stay in pool

Posted: Feb 21, 2009 06:13 PM EST

Updated: Feb 21, 2009 06:29 PM EST

Homeowner describes forcing burglar to stay in pool, Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield reports





LEESVILLE, SC (WIS) - A suspected burglar ended up going for an unwanted swim thanks to an angry homeowner who Lexington County officials say walked in on the man burglarizing his home.

WIS talked with the man who used his pool to soak an accused thief.

Normally February is the off-season for the Hartley family's pool, but Thursday afternoon it saw a lot of action.

Robert Hartley got home early, walked out back, found a broken window and his safe and gun on the porch. Deputies say Ruben Silva-Aguilar was loading it up.

"He jumped up, ran again, that's when he jumped in the pool," says Hartley. "I came up here, jumped on him, lunged and wrapped my arms halfway around his throat."

He took matters into his own hands after deputies say the thief stabbed him in the shoulder.

"We wrestled and he went in the pool. He said he can't speak English, but then he said 'the water's cold,' and I said, 'you're not getting out.' I didn't care if I hurt him or not, I was mad," he said.

The day it all happened, the water was about 55 degrees. To give you some perspective, bath water is 102 degrees.

When we asked Hartley why he kept the robber in the water, he said, "That's where he fell; I figured he could stay there."

And he did, for 30 minutes till deputies came. But Hartley says Silva-Aguilar left a glove behind.

Hartley found it while we were there. Since Thursday he's been swimming in praise. Deputies give him the credit and he'll take it, just not too much.

"I'm no hero, I just fight for what is mine," he says.

Previous Story:

Suspect caught in the act forced to stand in pool
Reported by Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

Posted by Logan Smith

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9883889

I consider Mr. Hartley a hero for protecting his family and everything they have worked for from some slime bag who probably should not have been here in the first place.

Now, watch the illegal sue him for violating his civil rights by keeping him in the pool... Like so many of them, they claim they can's speak English...but he somehow managed to come across clearly enough in this obscure and little known language to let the homeowner know he was freezing. Too bad it wasn't Alaska...he'd be an 'illegalcicle".

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