Austintown home intruder used pepper spray

AUSTINTOWN — A township woman was doused with pepper spray after a burglar broke into her house.

She was watching television in her home on South Meridian Road at about 12:40 a.m. Wednesday when she heard a loud noise, causing her to stand up and turn around.

She told police a small man wearing dark clothing and a gray ski mask had forced entry to the residence through a side door.

He immediately sprayed her with pepper spray and lunged for her purse, which was under a coffee table next to the couch she’d been sitting on, according to police reports.

The victim said she attempted to stop him from taking the purse, but tripped over the table and fell.

Hearing the commotion, the victim’s daughter came up from the basement. She said as she entered the family room, where the crime was happening, she caught a brief glimpse of the man.

He then fled out the side door with the victim’s purse, containing a driver’s license, Social Security card, checkbook, birth certificate, cell phone, keys to the house and car and six credit cards, which have since been cancelled.

The victim’s daughter said she ran outside, yelling for help before calling the Austintown Police Department.

She told police that she saw a large dark-colored vehicle, possibly an early to mid-90s Oldsmobile or Buick parked on Bears Den Road, just east of her mother’s residence. A police dog followed a track that ended on Bears Den Road, about 50 yards east of South Meridian.

The women said the man had dark eyes, was between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 7 inches and weighed about 130 pounds.