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Man Fights Off Three People Who Attempt To Force Their Way Into His Home

Man Fights Off Three People Who Attempt To Force Their Way Into His Home

Ryan Hesford believes it may have been a dognapping attempt

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A terrified dog owner fought off three men who tried to force their way into his home in what he believes to have been an attempted dognapping.

Ryan Hesford was at home alone in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on Wednesday night (7 April) when someone started to repeatedly ring his doorbell and begin banging on his door.

Ryan, 33, tried to speak to them through his Ring doorbell, but when he couldn't connect to it he decided to go and answer the door.

But as he did, three men - one of whom was carrying a metal bar - attempted to push past him and enter his home.

SWNS

Shocking footage caught on the doorbell camera shows the men scuffling in the doorway shortly before one of them actually manages to enter the property.

Thankfully, one of his neighbours spotted the commotion and came to his aid, prompting the three men to flee.

Ryan said: "It was very stressful - it was all a bit mental for 9pm on a Wednesday night.

"The whole thing happened in literally 16 seconds from when I opened my front door.

"But I just feel so lucky that the guy who got into my house didn't open the door to the room where the dogs were. The good thing is that the dogs are safe.

"I have two Shih tzus and a Pomeranian, which I believe are massive on the hit list of dogs going missing at the moment."

Ryan was home alone when the incident happened as his partner was working away in London.

SWNS

The footage shows Ryan answering the door, while one of the men can be heard saying: "Parcel for Gary."

Ryan said: "I could tell as soon as I opened the door that something wasn't right.

"He seemed really agitated on his feet, he was shifting from left to right.

"I attempted to slam the door on him as he came for me, but he and the other two pushed back and I've been left with a big black eye.

"Two of them did also have metal bars, which I think is how I've got the big cut and bruise that have been left on my right arm.

"All I could think was that I needed to get them away from my house.

SWNS

"I managed to wrestle two of them out the front, and then I jumped over the wall and knocked on my neighbour's window, and they came out to help me.

"That's when all three of them ran off down the road."

Ryan says he has handed over the footage to police and praised the officers for how they handled the situation.

He said: "The police got here within five minutes of the men running off. It was a really good response, I can't fault them.

"They were here with crime scene officers and forensics until about 2am."

SWNS

Ryan has shared the footage to warn others.

He added: "I just want to get the footage out there to warn others to be aware of people like this.

"Not everybody would be able to fight back like I did. It's harrowing to think what might have happened next if it was an old lady that they targeted."

LADbible has contacted South Yorkshire Police for a comment.

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: UK News, crime, Dogs