An irate homeowner used a frying pan to chase a burglar out of his house after getting an automated alert from his security system — which then caught him on camera repeatedly trying to clobber the crook.
Jason Williams told Chicago TV station WLS that he was returning from work around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday when he learned someone had broken into his home in the Logan Square neighborhood.
"Came in the house, I looked if there was an available weapon," Williams said. "There was a frying pan laying there, so I grabbed the frying pan and at the same time the burglar came downstairs."
Williams confronted the man, telling the station, "At this point it was fight or flight and I would rather do the fighting."
A video surveillance camera recorded Williams waving the frying pan over his head and swinging it at the intruder as he chased the man out the front door, down the steps and around the yard.
When the man went to open the front gate, Williams grabbed the pan with both hands and took a mighty overhead swing as the man raised his arm to defend himself, the video showed.
Williams stumbled on the follow-through, and it's unclear if he made contact before the crook slipped through the gate and ran away.
Cops ran up a moment later and arrested the man across the street.
Police identified the suspect as Brandon Williams, apparently no relation, a 12-time convicted felon, who was charged with residential burglary, WLS reported Friday.
Following his arrest, the alleged wanna-be crook was reportedly taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.
At the hospital, he allegedly spat on a nurse and was additionally charged with aggravated battery.
Jason Williams said he knew the incident "could have had a different ending and I'm glad it had a good one."
He also noted that his wife was "not happy about the decision I made" and that he "probably wouldn't do it again — but it is what it is."
